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Andrys Basten | profile | all galleries >> Memories of special people >> May Tong -- My Aunt May - A Celebration of her Life tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

May Tong -- My Aunt May - A Celebration of her Life

This is a partial record of a day that was a celebration of Aunt May's life, organized by her husband, my Uncle Terry, who was with her since they were both about 17 years old.  She was 84, about 6 years younger than my mom (her big sister) was, though my mother died at age 44.

  Auntie May (as we all called her) was a very young 84.  I remember her most for her chuckle, as she found what we were all up to usually very amusing.  But she always looked after the many of us, even when we were too caught up with our own lives to stay in touch as we should have.

She was like a second mother to most of us nieces and nephews.  The first picture was taken a few years ago, in San Francisco at one of the many large-family celebrations.

What I miss most of all? The call: "So, how are you doing, ONdrys?" (as she liked to call me)" and then chuckling because she knew I was probably up to no good.

  She and Uncle Terry pretty much saved me at a very low point, gifting me with their 2nd car (a really fine one), because they knew mine was barely running and I was recovering from the Silicon Valley meltdown.  It meant a lot.  As did the regular calls, and the fine cooking, and the laughter. I hear it often, still, in my head, and I miss that I can't hear it better anymore.

The photos include the large Chin and Tong families.  And some friends.  I took photos at the end, so just was not able to catch enough of the family and somehow missed Lise, Debi's sister.  Uncle Terry did a great job with the family photo history as usual.

         


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Auntie May at age 80-1/2
Auntie May at age 80-1/2
Auntie May's memorial celebration
Auntie May's memorial celebration
Uncle Terry & Auntie May
Uncle Terry & Auntie May
Robyn, Debi, Kyle, and his legal counsel  Christine  :-)
Robyn, Debi, Kyle, and his legal counsel Christine :-)
Kyle, Uncle Terry, Debbie
Kyle, Uncle Terry, Debbie
Cousin Claudia
Cousin Claudia
Distant cousin on Uncle Terry's side, Melvin Lee
Distant cousin on Uncle Terry's side, Melvin Lee
My brother Glen
My brother Glen
Cousins Gail, Mitchell, and bro' Glen
Cousins Gail, Mitchell, and bro' Glen
Cousin Page and her mom Aunt Elsa, my mom's other sister
Cousin Page and her mom Aunt Elsa, my mom's other sister
Further back, Page, Aunt Elsa, and cousin Gail's daughter Jenna
Further back, Page, Aunt Elsa, and cousin Gail's daughter Jenna
Gail, Auntie Elsa's firstborn, with Page and her mom
Gail, Auntie Elsa's firstborn, with Page and her mom
Page's man Shishir and their daughter , with Melissa (daughter of cousin Carolyn)
Page's man Shishir and their daughter , with Melissa (daughter of cousin Carolyn)
Tala with a bit of dad showing
Tala with a bit of dad showing
Shishir and Tala
Shishir and Tala