Goodbye to Ah Kong

Lawrence Lee with his family--May 2006

My father-in-law, Maureen's dad, Lawrence Lee, left this life last night -- from my perspective -- Saturday morning Singpore time. Those left behind -- Maureen's mom, her sister, her brother, and his three grandchildren -- will miss him. He was 85 and had was in a coma following a stroke a couple of days before.

During all the time that I knew him, "Dad" always seemed a kind, old man. Maureen was nervous about our first meeting. She wasn't sure how he would receive me. But he welcomed me--a stranger and a foreigner--into his family.

The joy of his life was his grandchildren. He wasn't able to do a lot with them, but he longed for their visits and mourned their absence. And they loved him. When I asked Jeremy what he remembered about his grandfather he said -- "not a whole lot, but I loved him."

I'll always be grateful to Ah Kong (grandfather). He is the father of the love of my life. And he took his kids to church. It was through the church that Maureen's beautiful character and molded in the image of Jesus Christ. I don't know if that could have happened without Ah Kong seeing that his children got to church.

Good bye, Ah Kong. We'll miss you.

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Maureen left tonight (Saturday) to join her family in Singapore. She plans to fly back into Abilene on Feb. 19.