Mrs Sein Jun Lowe

Passed away with dignity on 18th March 2020; Beloved wife of Edward Yin Chee Lowe (Deceased); Adored mother of Lorraine, Janette, Rhonda, Hilton, Vivienne & Melissa; Cherished Daughter of Jong & Hung Wan Leong (Deceased) Loved mother-in-law of Michael Bambridge, Michael Reiners; Cherished grandmother of Bradley, Jung, Holly, Rory, Coco, Jarred, Lucienne, Luca, Bodhi, Sienna; Aged 90 Years. Will be sadly missed and forever in our hearts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eulogy by Rhonda Lunn (Daughter) Mum was a glamorous and smart woman, wife to Eddie for nearly 7 decades, mother to 6 children, grandmother to 10 and great-grandmother to 4. She was an extremely loving family person – not just regarding our nuclear family but also the extended family, including ancestors. As the eldest child of six to father- Jong Yin Leong & mother - Hung Wan Leong, Mum was born in Canton (Guang Zhou), China. She loved her studies and would have liked to continue beyond high school, but events such as the war curtailed those plans. Her fear of war was punctuated by two major attacks. One was the Japanese attack within her mother’s home at the age of 12 and trying to hide from soldiers into the mountains. The next was with the civil war, as the Communists fought and won against the Nationalists— with a home invasion from the Communist soldiers. In 1947, at the age of 17, she married our Dad, Eddie. Eddie had been in Australia at 16 years of age, completed his Leaving certificate year in Newcastle at Marist Brothers School & had been managing his father’s business after his father passed. Dad returned to China to marry Mum after the war. He flew her at great expense to Hong Kong for their honeymoon and together they lived in China for 2 years. Hearing that his manager in Australia was sick, Eddie had to return to Australia early. So, Mum was left to make the long journey by ship to Australia, pregnant with their first child (Lorraine) in 1949. Her mother asked another gentleman who was also travelling to be her chaperone. In Australia, (as discovered 50 years later, in a Chinese letter on blue aerogram paper from Dad ..) she was to be met by him as the boat arrived in Brisbane, Queensland & he would take her to see a doctor and then travel to Newcastle, 800kms south in NSW. There, he had bought her a brand new, fully furnished house. Though concerned about going to a foreign country, a new life of opportunities opened for her; cushioned by a caring husband who had already lived in Australia during the war years and had established himself, his business & friends. Preferring to be with Dad & not left in the suburbs with 2 young children, she asked Dad to fix up a room above the Steel Street shop in town, so they could stay together during the work week. Community minded & generous: They consistently sent money back ‘Home’ to China for family members and community projects. Mum & Dad loved to dance. Asked when she actually started dancing, Mum replied: When Dad’s former Marist teacher only had a bike to ride about town, they organized ballroom dancing classes to raise money for a car. They raised two thousand pounds for a Mercedes for Father Hillary. Within a few years, Dad then helped Mum’s parents & siblings to migrate to Australia. Mum’s father & 2 brothers, Raymond & Robert, arrived one year. Mum’s mother & Mother-In Law, our grandmother Lowe - Dad’s mother, arrived together in 1952 with Mum's two younger sisters, Elaine & Brenda. Her youngest brother, Nelson was later born in Newcastle. She mixed with many social groups in the years to come, but in the early days, when English lessons were difficult keep up with, whilst having two toddlers at home, she often spoke to the Chinese market traders across the road from the Steele St shop, as well as the Chinese garden market farmers in Maitland. When her father was to arrive from China and she knew she wasn’t able to cook for him, Mum said they decided to open a Chinese restaurant. They went those Maitland garden markets to choose the first chefs for the Khing Doo Cafe, located in Beaumont St Hamilton. It was Grandmother Lowe- Lee See Lowe, who lived with them in New Lambton, who proved to be the ideal babysitter, making it possible for Mum to go to work. Her English improved as she worked long hours alongside Dad in the business. Her Chinese traditions mixed in with her newfound Australian lifestyle. Never abandoning her cultural upbringing in China, she mingled such knowledge as the reading of face & body features to discern a person’s character, feng shui and numerous herbal remedies, including the then dreaded Bitter black Tea -giving us children the promise of bit of rock sugar afterwards to expel the taste. She and her mother, Grandmother Leong would spend many hours discussing their dreams – often of the ancestors to decipher their true meaning, and continued Bai Sarn at the cemetery, where we paid homage to those who had passed: definitely an important ritual. She was very industrious in work and play. As Yuen War, Dad’s company, was an importing company for Chinese products, Mum created space in half the shop for other Chinese wares, such as ‘Cheongsams, children’s clothes & anything I wanted ..’ she added, 'bowls and chopstick, fans..' etc. Items both for family use as well as for selling, and eventually for the restaurant, The Eastern Restaurant, which they opened next door in 1964. As in Chinese tradition, she taught us respect for elders, expected young arrivals at the house all to come up to her to first greet her. Proud of her heritage, Mum taught us to speak Chinese: how?- by not answering us until we spoke Chinese. She provided Chinese lessons to read and write after school in primary school.. yes whilst friends waited to play outside! well, it was compulsory really. Many trips to China were made after China opened its doors to ex-pat Nationalists. She was able to return with Dad and her mother to see her grandmother and aunt & families. Whilst raising 6 children, she worked hard and long hours alongside her husband, Eddie - her life partner & champion. They continued in the restaurant business in Sydney’s Chinatown, having moved to Sydney in the 1970’s. Sometimes we wonder how she found time to show her talents and creativity, like sewing and knitting, art and dance & exercise. Mum also loved music and singing. Whenever she was home, either Chinese opera played on red LP records or her singing Chinese songs would fill the home and as Janette says, 'We will remember your exotic singing in our ears forevermore!’ - especially as recently we have caught her laughing and singing little songs we remembered from our childhood. In the early years of motherhood, she also sewed dresses for all us children, nieces and friends. She made ballet tutus with velvet petals & sequins for ballet eisteddfods & found time to knit herself mohair cardigans. It was after retirement that she sought to educate herself at Randwick & North Sydney TAFE for English classes as well as art, woodwork, tile mosaic lessons classes. She thrived on learning - Had a Chinese/ English dictionary by her table to look up new words she heard on tv. She took up tennis, swimming - could do 39 laps, went to South Juniors in Kensington with Dad for Ball room dancing - weekly escalating to 6 days a week, sometimes travelling to Rockdale, North Sydney & Burwood venues by car or train. She loved going to Tai Chi, Chi Gong, Falan Goong, as she believed in the health benefits as well as liked the social aspect of these classes. Mum played Mah Jong with Dad & friends a lot at home in New Lambton on weekends, then later, at Beatty St in retirement days, where we witnessed 10 hour stints with lunch & dinner breaks. Yearly, Mum went with Dad to Surfers Paradise to their timeshare with a group of 6 or 7. Along with them was always packed a Mah Jong set! Some of these were friends from old school days. She often went to reunions in China to meet up with the schoolmates and they established a group in Australia – the Chung Sarn Society to raise money for projects back in China. Apart from trips to Hong Kong & China, Mum travelled with Dad to San Francisco, L.A. & Hawaii in the USA, to Italy, France & England & to New Zealand and Thailand. They enjoyed many short and long cruises with family and friends to places such as New Caledonia and Fiji. Social butterfly, a galloping horse always making friends: Mum was a kind & generous woman. We often came home to Christmas to find mum had invited different friends who had no family to celebrate with. During the Newcastle era, they were Lions Club members who donated to charity. For the yearly Lions Club Ball, Mum would order a new custom made, beautiful, silk cheongsam dress from Hong Kong, adorn herself in wedding diamonds, depart with Dad in a tux - leaving like a princess, we thought, a waft of Chanel No 5 trailing behind her. Together with her former Chinese schoolfriends in the Chung San Society in Sydney’s Chinatown, she was an eager and active member who often volunteered to organise trips to China and to raise money for projects in their region. Many overseas university student boarders from Asia still keep in touch with letters & cards. Recently a Japanese friend living in Hong Kong, who sent her a card to get in touch, mentioned they met at TAFE, so many years ago. In later years, Mum looked after Dad at home together with the help of carers and family. She drove to Chinatown and their favourite club, South Junior’s, until she reluctantly had to give up the car. Then together, they managed to get about by train and buses. Even when Dad had Alzheimers, Mum kept him active and interested, going to regular dance sessions with lifts from Charlie and Joyce, and playing Mah Jong at home with Jeff & Marg. We were astounded that even with Alzheimers, muscle memory kicked in & he still knew how to dance. When Dad went to St Brigid’s Care around the corner, Mum was able to walk there to visit him every day for the most of the three and half years. Later she was driven there often by carers. It was an extremely sad and painful loss for her when he passed away. With the onset of Alzheimers, her memory would lapse only to suddenly recall his passing and that in turn proved excruciating sadly for all of us as that repeatedly happened. Mum loved ‘company’ and she was a social being. How did we forget? We had been concerned how she would get on, when she eventually also went to St Brigid’s when she also required high care. However, we found that she was better cared for- the constant warm temperature soothed her arthritic aches and so did the warmth of socialising with more than just family. It was new company and a captive audience in other residents as well a bevy of nurses & young carers. She liked to converse and was even proud of herself for teaching some of the carers to count in Chinese. She often mellowed in good cheer, momentarily forgetting any aches & pains. Mum was able to show off her children & grandchildren, great grandchildren who constantly visited & never ceased to make her glow with pride. Remembering how we would ask what she would like for her birthday or Christmas, she would always reply: Nothing better than good children.. -‘ ah summon jay gwiy lah, Ho lah!’. I think she did get what she wished for! Mum had a long and fulfilling life – one which was brimming with much joy and happiness- with many witnesses to her buoyant good nature amongst her family and friends, persons of all ages & from many countries. Most amongst whom can’t be here to due to the worldwide restrictions of this time, have kindly sent their condolences, wishing her to rest in peace. We thank you all.

Mrs Sein Jun Lowe

January 10, 1930 - March 18, 2020