Yong Do Lee

Born on Jan. 4th, 1938 in An Dong Maju, China during the Japanese occupation of Korea to Chang Muk Ra and Jae Sil Kim. She was the 3rd eldest of 5 sisters and 2 brothers.

After the 1945 independence of Korea from Japan, the family returned to Seoul Korea. Shortly after, on June 25 1950 the Korean war started. She enlisted and was assigned the military medical training in Sam San-Myun, Ganghwa-Gun, Gyunggi-Do. Graduating Top 10 in her class, she was commissioned to Captain. and transferred to Pusan, Korea military base. During the war she was involed in a major accident transport accident and the sole survivor of her vehicle. She spent the next the full year leaning to walk and function again. Unfortunately, she was told due to her internal injuries that she would be unable to conceive.

After returning to duty, she met Chan Hyi Lee who then became her husband on November 27, 1966 And then became a mother to two sons, Jae Yong Lee(68) and Jae Soung Lee(70). In July of 1973 they immigrated to the United States. After landing in Hawaii and then some time in California, they settled in Chicago. Here she become a self taught chef and restaurant owner. Working tirelessly in a foreign land but a land she loved to better her family.

Unfortunately, in 2001 she was diagnosed with colon cancer. After a few surgeries and chemo she was in remission. But again, the cancer returned then spread. She never gave up, always fighting and staying positive. Traveling and doing the things she wished. And her final wish was to spend her time at home with family and friends instead of any hospital or medical facility, where too much time was already spent. She passed peacefully on November 13th, 2014 at 6:15pm