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1953 - 2016

BORN

1953

DIED

2016

About

University of California| Berkeley University of California Los Angeles

Cherylene Lee Obituary

Cherylene Alice Lee

June 1953 - March 2016

Cherylene Alice Lee was born in June 1953 in Los Angeles and passed away in March 2016 in San Francisco. She fought a very brave fight with stage 4 breast cancer for ten years. Cherylene started a prolific career as a child actress and dancer at age 3, dancing with Gene Kelly at age 5, and performing as a song and dance team in Las Vegas for three summers with her sister, Virginia Lee. She was featured in many TV series and films.
As an adult, Cherylene was part of the International Company of "A Chorus Line" and became an award-winning playwright, published poet, and storyteller. Among her many notable published works were ARTHUR AND LEILA, CARRY THE TIGER TO THE MOUNTAIN, LOST VEGAS ACTS, and YIN CHIN BOW. Her last and greatest work is her autobiography, JUST LIKE REALLY: AN UNCOMMON CHINESE AMERICAN MEMOIR, which she self-published in 2015. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Paleontology and from UCLA with an MS in Geology. As a writer, she was a fierce Words with Friends opponent.
Cherylene is predeceased by her father and mother, Dr. and Mrs. Edward Lee, and her brother, Warren Lee. She is survived by her loving sisters, Priscilla "Puggy" Lee and Virginia Latimer, in addition to two nieces and a nephew.
Donations in her honor may be made to community organizations that made a difference in the last ten years of her life.
1. UCSF Foundation, PO Box 45339, San Francisco 94145 (reference "B2802 Investigational Therapeutics in her memory").
2. Shanti's Margot Murphy Breast Cancer Program, 730 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109.
3. Breast Cancer Emergency Fund, 12 Grace St, Ste 300, San Francisco, CA 94103.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from May 7 to May 10, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for Cherylene Lee

13 Entries

Vicky Patton

February 19, 2025

Just saw her in the 1963 movie, "Donovan's Reef," starring John Wayne and Lee Marvin. She was a natural and stole every scene she was in. Blessings to her family.

Ralph Ayers

January 17, 2025

My daughter gave a copy of Cherylene´s book for Christmas 2024, after hearing me talk so much about her and not having read the book. What a surprise to read on page 62 about how and Virginia would come out to the show room entrance at the New Frontier in Las Vegas Vegas between shows and have their "portraits " drawn. They were caricatures actually. I know because I was the artist. What a thrill to know that I´d made such an impression on that cute diminutive seven year old, that she´d remember and mention it in her touching and funny memoir years later. I will never forget how the sisters invited to their home in Los Angeles in March 1961 for one of her mother´s fabulous home cooked meals - better than any Chinese restaurant I´ve ever visited. I´m 86 now but what a blessing to have known the "Lee Sisters and mother Rose way back when, "just like really" , and what a gift they were to our world! God bless you all and thank you!

Stephen Hopkins

July 15, 2024

So Sorry to Hear of Her Passing. I Love Her as Kim Su on McHale's Navy. An Excellent story line for the program.

Harry Tam III

September 4, 2023

Wasn't she the young girl who sang "The Younger Generation" in the '61 movie, "Flower Drum Song"?

Ravi Sajnani

May 11, 2023

I was thinking of her cute appearance on Bachelor Father and the song scene. The next day I was surprised to see her on the McHale's Navy. Such an adorable darling. Sad to hear of her passing.
May God's Peace be with you and your family.

Mr Daniel J Gayler

January 31, 2023

Hi , I first saw Cherylene Lee in McHale's Navy on the 25th of this month , 2023 .
I was not sure of what to say as my heart was really moved by this little girl !
It's my intention to include Cherylene In my early morning prayers and in my daily 3'Oclock prayers !
May she RIP, Amen !

Linda Harris-Silverman

August 9, 2019

I saw Miss Lee on an episode of McHales Navy just now and was curious about her career. I am saddened to learn she passed. She was obviously a special person.

Andrea Darvi Plate

January 3, 2019

We were child actors at the same time (not competitors) and we took ballet classes together at the American School of Ballet. I remember that she was impossibly adorable and wished my face were round like hers. She was tiny but had an outsize talent and personality. Evidently we were UC Berkeley students at the same time. I wish I had known! She was obviously far smarter than I could have realized when we were both so young. I just finished reading her excellent and truthful book

Roland S

November 27, 2017

I just finished watching McHale's Navy, season 1 Episode32, Parents Anonymous, in which Cherylene was Kim Su. I recognized her from other shows (Donovan's Reef) and looked her up on http://www.imdb.com/ to see what else I had seen her in. Thinking she should be about my age (actually two years older) I wondered what she would be doing today. I was shocked to see she had passed away from Breast Cancer. May she rest in Peace.

Phil B

October 7, 2017

I am ,what you would call, a very big fan and follower of Cherylene"s career., I'll never forget her appearances on "McHale's Navy" with Ernest Borgnine. She was wonderful, I was deeply saddened to hear of her passing, I shall always remember her, on this show, and everything she did in her career., with love and respect. Rest in Peace to a beautiful girl, and Lovely lady!!!

CHARLOTTE BEY HAWA

June 22, 2017

IF THIS IS THE CHERYLENE I KNEW IN GRAMMAR SCHOOL, SHE WAS VERY NICE, I WENT TO IVANHOE ELEMENTARY HERE IN LOS ANGELES, LANCE ITO, WAS ALSO IN MY CLASS, WE MET ONE DAY AT OHRBACHS ON WILSHIRE BLVD, I WAS SHOPPING WITH MY SISTER, BUYING MY 6TH GRADE GRAD DRESS. MY MOTHER ALWAYS THOUGHT SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, WISH I COULD OF KNOWN HER BETTER, BUT, JUST THOUGHT OF HER, AND SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT HER BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER, WISH I HAD LOOKED HER UP TWO YEARS AGO, I WOULD OF LOVED TO TALK TO HER. OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO CHERYLENE LEE, BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT!

Gillian Arnold

December 2, 2016

So sorry to hear of Cherylene's death - rather belatedly. We met during her year at Reading University, UK (1973/4) and we have kept in touch ever since. So glad her memoirs were published last year. RIP. Gillian Arnold

Eunice Jung

June 1, 2016

My fondest memories of Cherylene are Sunday morning Tai Chi for 30 years. We had a group that breakfasted after our sessions at Golden Gate Park and we all supported her from her very first play and continued through her productive life. She always had a hopeful outlook even when she was sick and felt the next new treatment would be a cure. I miss her strong spirit.

Showing 1 - 13 of 13 results