I went to UC Berkeley , to college in 1969. I remember that shortly after I started college there , my mother said my Great Auntie Corrine wanted to meet me . I had never met her or any members of her family , nor had I ever met Great Auntie Dorothy , Great Auntie May or any members of their families. I had heard stories of the family rift and of the lawsuit . My mom said that perhaps Auntie Corrine was trying to reconnect in some way with the family and wanted to meet me . I remember going up to the top floor of a high rise in San Francisco near Ghiradelli Square and entering a large apartment with big glass windows and an expansive view of the San Francisco Bay . Auntie Corrine inquired about my studies and how I was doing . I had tea with her and left . Later Auntie Corrine attended my graduation from Berkeley in 1972.
Auntie Soo-Jan writes :
"After the law suit, with family finances ruined, my grandmother eventually lived with Dorothy until she passed away in 1971 at age 87. The very sad aftermath of the ill feelings from the law suit was that Dorothy forbade my Dad to see his Mother, even when she was dying
When my Dad was terminally ill, Corrine came to visit him twice. Corrine told him not to tell Dorothy. I think she was intimidated by Dorothy. Brother and sister ate lunch together and had quiet chats at our house. Dorothy never tried to contact him. My Dad held no hard feelings towards his sisters. He always blamed the Alien Land law that caused the family rift. I asked my Mom how could Dad not be bitter and angry over what happened. She said that this is the only way he could have coped with it, otherwise he would be emotionally destroyed. The law was at fault, not his sisters….that was his chosen view. "
San Tong Jue passed away in 1987 at the age of 82 .
JR: Corrine attended your graduation ceremony at UC Berkeley in which you took highest honors in your class. She said to San Tong, "How very proud of him you must feel." Indeed, he was so proud of you!!! She lived in the "North Point" Condos that overlooked Ghiradelli Square. After her husband, Lansing Kwok, passed away she sold the Condo to Gabriel Kwok who had been a long time accountant for Wing On, Lansing's family business. No family relationship, just the same surname. It was Gabriel at Wing On's Stevenson Place address in SF whom San Tong first saw in his attempt to see Leong Shee before she died. Gabriel called Lansing and Lansing drove Corrine out to the office for a brief and tearful meeting. Later, the 2 met in my apt. for a full reunion. After the lawsuit, your father Jack drove Posie to Dorothy's house. There, Corrine flew Posie to SF to live with her and Lansing. She took good care of Posie but would not let any of us visit her or speak to her by phone. When Lansing died and Corrine became ill she brought Posie back to Dorothy and, as Auntie Soo-Jan said, that is where Posie spent her last days. Prior to that Posie had had a 2nd major stroke that left her paralyzed from the neck down and that's why San Tong wanted to see her in SF. He knew she was at her end and he tried hard to see her. Sad that he was not allowed to say goodbye to his mother. Auntie Soo-Yin.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Auntie Soo-Yin for reminding me that Great Aunt Corrine was at my Berkeley graduation . I must have completely forgotten that !
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