Helen Sue's Obituary
Helen Sue, born and raised in Oakland, CA passed away peacefully at the age of 82 on October 4th, 2019 while surrounded by her family. Helen was the eldest of eight children born to Hung Bew Chan and Soo Lew Chan and went to work at a young age to help support her family after the Great Depression. She is survived by her siblings Henry, Harry (Melinda), Mary, Beebe (Calvin), Jerry, Anne, and Susie.
Helen married Wayne Sue (deceased) in 1959 and together they raised their six children, their children’s friends, and the neighborhood kids at their home on Spruce Street in Oakland. They worked side by side at their grocery store, Kwong On Teong, in the heart of Oakland’s Chinatown for 14 years. Helen was very active within the local business community and many friends and family came to her for advice and guidance. She tried retiring, but quickly realized that she wasn’t meant to sit still and she longed to keep busy. When her grandchildren were safely off to kindergarten, she joined the Personnel Department at the Oakland Unified School District, where she made many great friends until she formally retired in 2002.
Helen took great pride and joy in her family, reveling in their individual successes and joys. Along with her husband, she helped secure the immigration and assimilation of their beloved extended family members, Shu Tong Yuen and Shi Xiong Chen and their families. She was referred to as “Auntie Helen” by so many people whose lives she touched.
Helen traveled extensively during her life with her family to Canada, Hong Kong, China, Hawaii, and Las Vegas. In recent years, through the assistance of social media, she remained in constant contact with her friends and family without having to leave the comforts of her own home.
As the matriarch of the Sue family, she leaves behind: her children Ricky, Dwayne, Sabrina (Douglas), Michelle, Waylen, and Brian; her seven grandchildren Kendall, Martin (Jennifer), Evan, Steven, Nathan, Cameron, and Briana; and her great-grandchildren, Hayden and Jaxon. She will be greatly missed by her many extended nieces, nephews, and life-long friends.
A Celebration of her Life will be held at The Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland on Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 9:30am. A reception will follow afterwards. Friends and family are welcomed.
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