Yuet A. Lau

LAU YUET ALFRED LAU Yuet Alfred Lau, longtime resident of Potomac, Maryland, passed away on March 3, 2012 at the age of 65 with his family by his side. He was a multi-talented and community-oriented man, known for his great devotion to family, achievement in business, and loyalty to friends and colleagues. Beloved husband of Lily Lau for 40 years; loving father of Teresa Lau, Michael Lau, and Cindy Lau; proud grandfather of Samantha Lau, Brendan Lau, and Emily Lau; and dear brother of Shu Lau; Alfred is also survived by many in-laws, nieces, and nephews. Alfred was a pioneering entrepreneur as well as a highly respected and successful real estate professional. Among his many achievements, Alfred was a founding owner of eight critically acclaimed restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC, including China Harbor Seafood Restaurant, Eastern Palace Restaurant, Vietnam Taste Restaurant, Canton Cafe, China Coral Restaurant, Diamond Head Restaurant, and Sichuan Restaurant. His innovation as a restauranteur ranged from introducing pushcart Chinese cuisine vending to the streets of DC in 1976, called Wok and Roll; to lobbying for Chinese language accessibility in food safety education, ultimately teaching the inaugural classes himself. He was a co-founder of the Washington Metropolitan Chinese Restaurant Association in 1986, bringing together the constituency of restaurant own- ers to improve conditions for workers and give back to the community throughout the Washington Metropolitan area. Early in his real estate career Alfred established Century 21 ALL Properties, and has since served as the principal broker and president of TMC Properties for 25 years. Expanding from residential realty to commercial properties, he established multiple thriving and lucrative partnerships spanning twelve years in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC area. Alfred was accredited by the prestigious CCIM Institute, became an instructor, and then served as a board member for the organization and president for the Washington DC chapter as recently as last year. He also was invited to serve as adjunct faculty at Salisbury University teaching real estate classes. Internationally, Alfred pioneered the introduction of Western real estate models and practices into numerous Asian markets, collaborating with Century 21 corporate in Singapore and Hong Kong and founding Century 21 Taiwan and Century 21 China. Alfred was born in Shandong, China and came to the United States on a full scholarship in 1967 to attend the University of North Dakota. There he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in three years' time, and then continued his studies at the University of Maryland with a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering as well as a Masters degree in Business Administration. Alfred is beloved for his sense of humor, his generosity, his passion, his bravery and his intelligence. But most of all, it was his love for his family that allowed him to enjoy his life to its fullest. Friends will be received at PUMPHREY'S BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE FUNERAL HOME, 7557 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland, on Thursday, March 8 from 7. to 9 p.m. and on Friday, March 9 from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 520 Veirs Mill Road, Rockville, Maryland on Saturday, March 10 at 9 a.m., followed by interment at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Please view and sign family guestbook at: www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com