May Ching Louie
June 2, 1932 - August 31, 2020
Obituary
May Ching Louie was born in Tai Gong-Hue village, Canton, China on June 2, 1932 to Kit Kau Choi (father) and Yuet Kwai (Ng) Choy (mother). She was the eldest of three children and was preceded in death (2018) by a younger sister living in China and survived by a younger brother, George Toye of Boston, MA (wife Winnie Toye, daughter Kamei Toye Miller, son-in-law Howard Miller, grandson Benjamin Miller).
On January 22, 1949 May was match married in China at age sixteen to eighteen-year-old Ming Quon Louie who had emigrated to the U.S. at age nine. After the marriage, Ming returned to the U.S. In 1954, May and their 4-year-old daughter, Suzette, joined him. They started out living in San Francisco, CA and relocated to Seattle to live with Ming’s only relative in WA, his “Goo Po” (great aunt). They lived with her until Ming and May bought their first home in Seattle’s Central District and then finally settled in their current, south Seattle home in 1968.
After her youngest of five children started school, May began her career as a seamstress at Black Bear Manufacturing and Sportcaster Mountain Products until her retirement in the mid-eighties. She and Ming enjoyed traveling and cruising together in their retirement.
May’s hobbies included playing mahjong with good friends, walking, Chinese opera, soap operas, music and video recordings. Her favorite activity was cooking traditional Toisan cuisine, feeding her growing family and passing on Toisan culture to her kids. She loved babies and children. Generations have tried… but May’s famous fried chicken has yet to be successfully reproduced and was always the highlight at family gatherings.
In July of 2015 a stroke limited May’s sight, mobility, and confidence to get out and do the things she previously enjoyed. She loved to walk in downtown Seattle, Chinatown, Southcenter Mall and Bellevue Square, all by public transit.
Her children were happy to honor May’s wishes to be cared for at home until she passed away peacefully of natural causes on August 31st, 2020. She will forever be missed.
Ming preceded May in death in 1996. May is survived by her five children: Suzette S. Lee (Karl), Steven P. Louie (Judy), Shirley M. Louie (Tracy Mills), Serena J. Louie and Stanley K. Louie (Wendi Dragin); ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
A private funeral service will be held on October 7, 2020. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that remembrances in May’s name be made to Kin On, Seattle, WA https://kinon.org or to the charity of your choice.
The Gene and Susan Chinn family, including Marin Chinn, Linda Badger, Janet Chu and Menzie Chinn, send our sincerest condolences to May Louie’s family. We have known May Louie all our lives and remember her as a kind and fun person, always smiling. She will always be a part of our lives.