Yee Yeat Mae Leon aka Grandma
The government knew her as Yee Yeat Mae Leon. To the rest of us, she was Grandma or Ah Po (阿婆).
Grandma was born in Chengxi Guishui, Taishan, Guangdong Province, China on October 10, 1924. She and her older brother were raised by their mother, while their father worked on a farm in Northern CA to earn and send money home. Though she only knew her father through the letters he sent and stories her mother told, grandma was raised in a warm and loving home. She was a spirited, kind-hearted, helpful child. She often ran around her village with pockets filled with home-grown peanuts and candies from family and villagers who equally loved her. As her mother’s only girl, she grew up with joy and plenty of freedom. (Free enough to run through her village giggling without her pants at 3 years old until a neighbor scolded her.) Though few girls attended school at this time, she loved to learn, persisted, and even continued her education after she aged out of the local educational system.
Educator for 20+ years
Grandma was a compassionate and giving person. She attended the Taishan Female Teacher School (later renamed to Taishan Overseas Chinese Middle School - 台山华侨中学) because she wanted to educate the next generation. She taught for a number of years at Yucai Elementary School (育才小学) and was a popular teacher. When she and her fellow teachers walked along the river to go home, students on both sides of the bank would shout “Yee Lao Shi! (Teacher Yee)” causing the other teachers to tease that she was more popular than Mao Zedong. She loved teaching and often spoke about her experiences. For her students who lacked financial resources, she bought them school supplies and clothing - she didn’t want a lack of writing instruments or new clothing to prevent them from attending school. She even took students who fell ill to see a doctor and get treatment. The love from her students was mutual as they visited her from time to time after she immigrated to the US. She thoroughly enjoyed the visits and most recently saw a group of students in March 2023.
Immigrating to and life in the US
Grandma arrived in the US in 1974. She immigrated to reunite with her husband. Her daughter and son joined them shortly after. They moved to Oakland Park, FL and lived in a one-bedroom apartment. They didn’t have much and focused on saving to buy a house - where grandma lived for 40+ years (she really liked the house, the big yard for vegetable gardening and her neighbors).
She enrolled in Adult Education to learn English and completed a 9-month course. While she wasn’t able to continue teaching in the US, she found learning English an interesting challenge. It came in handy when she was preparing for her Naturalization Interview years later.
She worked at Morrison's Cafeteria, which is where she learned about classic American favorites: potato salad, jello with whipped cream, chicken salad, carrot and raisin salad, shrimp cocktail, and the Thanksgiving stack (mashed potato, stuffing, turkey stacked together and topped with gravy and cranberry sauce). After 2 months, she started receiving praise from her managers and was given raises and recognition. Though she enjoyed working here and met many nice people, she left this job to raise her grandchildren (whom she adored!)
Grandma’s advice for achieving a long life
(you don’t turn 99 every day!)
It all starts with the love you receive. Grandma credited her mother’s love, the community of relatives, village elders, and caring neighbors who helped raise her to become the happy and wonderful person she grew up to be. She also credits the love she received from her family: her late husband (Juan Luis), daughter (Lisa), son-in-law (Tyler), son (Yit), daughter-in-law (Hong), 5 amazing grandkids (Gordon, Ana, Melinda, Christina, and Pearl), 2 incredible grandkid-in-laws (Tranie and Nai), and 4 beautiful great-grandkids (Vera, Emily, Ophelia, and Evan), and the many, many friends and family who surrounded and supported her.
She also gave her love generously as a mom, grandma, and great grandma, as a teacher, as a leader in her community, as a donor to her former school and other causes in the US and back home, and as a friend to so many (she could talk for HOURS on the phone).
Lastly, she said to do things that make you happy.
Grandma’s Favorites
Family and friends, Mahjong (in-person and online), watching Animal Planet on the Chinese channel, Chinese opera, making traditional foods to celebrate holidays: pastries and vegetarian food for Lunar New Year, Tong Yuan for birthdays, and Zong for the Dragon Boat Festival, growing vegetables and attempting to grow Longan, drinking hot water no matter if the weather is hot or cold, and eating chocolate, almond cookies, cherries, firm grapes (peeled), salted preserved candies, pizza, peanut butter crackers, and Cuties. Grandma was also well-informed about the world (especially growing up in such turbulent times) - watching the world news nightly and reading the Chinese newspaper.
Everything Grandma Meant To Us
One of my earliest memories of gramma was the love and kindness that she exuded. I didn’t speak the same language as her but we didn’t have to. Her body language always made me feel welcomed, loved, and appreciated whenever I came to visit. Vera and Ophie were always excited to see her (especially since gramma gave them their favorite crackers.) I never got the opportunity to grow up with extended family members, so I’m grateful to see the girls play and bond with gramma.
When I think of gramma, I always remember her telling me that taking care of children was hard work, and that she appreciated me for it. I will always admire how strong she was in mind, body, and soul. She was always happy, always kept active with yard work, and always knew how to touch our hearts. I felt like I wasn’t worthy of her kindness, but I am forever grateful to have known her and that she was a part of mine and my family’s life.
Forever part of us
— Tranie
Grandma was my biggest joy.
Other than my parents, other grandparents, aunts and uncles, some family friends, and some distant relatives, grandma knew me the longest. She knew what my favorite childhood snacks were (haw flakes, white rabbit candy, iced gem biscuits), how to comfort me when I didn’t feel well, how much I enjoy cleaning (she always complimented me when I mopped the floor), and most importantly, how much I loved her.
One of my earliest memories is when grandma used to ask my sisters and cousins to sit down with a notepad or several pieces of paper and told us that we had 20/30 minutes to write as many words down during this time. Whoever wrote the most unduplicated words was declared the winner. I thought it was the best game, even though, if I recall correctly, there was no prize. In hindsight, I’m pretty sure this was her way of getting us to sit down and give her a break. :)
She helped our family out so much. While my parents were busy running the restaurant from 8 AM-11 PM or 12 AM, grandma made sure my sisters and I did our homework, and were well-fed, bathed, and entertained. She made sure we got up in the mornings to catch the school bus and looked out for us when she knew it was time for us to be dropped off.
I get my dry humor, passion for cleaning, and love for chocolate from her.
Grandma - thank you for always being on my side (even if it wasn’t always the best side). It was a privilege to be your grandchild and we shall meet again. I will miss you a lot until then.
— Ana
Ah Po did everything she could to care for us and love us as much as she could. Even with motion sickness and not being able to ride in a car locally for more than a few miles, she got in a car and rode 320+ miles just to see me graduate from college. She even recently got on a plane after 23 years just to see where I live.
She always loved making my favorite Chinese pastries growing up, taught me how to speak fluent Chinese and showed me how to be the smart, witty, strongwilled, jokester and loving person I am today.
Ah Po was my grandma, my BB and my best friend.
— Pearl
Gma had such a loving soul that she instantly loves everyone that she comes in contact with and vice versa. She was also a great baker! I loved her Chinese goodies that she made for us during CNY! My favorites were the ham dumplings and nian gao.
Grandma always wanted the best for everyone and whenever we talked to her she would always wish the best for us. My gma was super sweet to all her grandkids and definitely to her great grandkids! We will all miss gma so much!
— Christina
Grandma was the person I loved most in my entire life. I can’t imagine life without her but I hope she knew how much I loved her till the last moment.
She will always stay in my heart as the person who raised me to become the strong, independent woman I am today. She was equally caring as she was stern. She put up a lot with me growing up and I thank God she never gave up on me. Even now, I know I’ll be in trouble if I ever try to go to bed with my hair wet.
One of my earliest memories was napping in the living room floor on a bamboo mat and she would come, wipe sweat away from my head, and pat me till I went back to sleep. She made the best food, crystal dumplings, traditional fried doughnuts for holidays, congee, vermicelli noodles… sooo many delicious meals growing up. I’m so glad I got to learn some of her recipes.
There are too many memories in my heart I have with her to share. I think my favorite memories are: when you said “I love you” she’d always say “me too!”
You could always tell when she was genuinely joyful when she’d open her eyes wide, clap her hands and go “ooooo” and then cackle.
She loved to hide her snacks and candy in a tissue box next to her like we didn’t know she was sneaking them.
Often she told me stories of her childhood way into the night and we’d talk about the most random things.. usually concluding conversations about how it kept her up at night that we weren’t married with children, lol.
Grandma will always be in my heart. I wish we could have spent many many more years together but I’m glad she is at peace now playing mahjong and eating pizza with her friends and family in heaven.
— Melinda
Grandma was such a great person in and out. From the time I met her she was always so welcoming and made me feel like I was a part of the family. I loved how Grandma would sneak me her candy snacks and I would tell her no I don't want any you eat it. But she would always say, "No it's too much!"
I also love how she would teach me Cantonese phrases like colors and animals. We would just sit in the living room and repeat them back and forth to each other!
My fondest memory of grandma was how we always blew each other kisses whenever we hung up after speaking on facetime. Even though we couldn't fully understand each other, we both could understand that we both enjoyed laughing and spending time with the family.
I love you Grandma!
— Khari
If you have a memory to share or comment, please send a message below.
