Edith Chan

Edith "Edie" Chan, 97, passed away peacefully on May 13, 2024, after a brief hospital stay. Born on July 2, 1927, in Auckland, New Zealand, Edith spent part of her childhood in mainland China, returned to New Zealand, and worked at her family's fruit and vegetable shop. She came to the United States to visit her sister Ruby in 1953, where she met Robert and was married for 65 years. They successfully raised three children and lived in the same building for 56 years. Edith spent her first decade in Chicago raising her children, then briefly worked at Marshall Fields, before spending 30 years as an assembler at Lekel in Chinatown. She spent her retirement years caring for granddaughter, from walking her to school and teaching her life skills. Edith was well known for walking throughout Chinatown several times a day doing her errands, attending exercise class, having senior lunch at Jung Wah, all while caring for her husband, home, and of course her yard and garden. Edith always greeted people with a smile and spoke to them in English or Chinese.
Edith did everything for her family as well as mother-in-law and brothers-in-law. She was a big sports fan, loving her Chicago Bears and Chicago Bulls and always watched the Olympics. Edith was an avid gardener with a green thumb that showed in her front and back yards, which were always blooming from the spring till the fall months. She was willing to teach anyone who was interested how to make Chinese food and was an excellent baker because of her British/New Zealand roots. As many from her generation, she sewed, knitted, and crocheted.
Edith was preceded in death by her husband Robert, son Russell, and siblings Ida, Ruby, George, and Yin Nor. She is survived by children Gary (Tauna) and Lisa, granddaughter Kiana (Nick), her siblings Anne and Andrew, as well as her many nephews and nieces.
Services:
Delcamo Funeral Home
470 West 26th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60616
312-842-8681
Wake - Friday, May 23, 2025, 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Funeral - Saturday, May 24, 2025; 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Interment immediately after at Mt. Auburn Cemetery
If you would like to donate in her name, Mom watched mass on TV and used to go to mass with Lisa. You can write a check to St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish (https://www.stmotherteresaparish.org/giving.html). Mom was always sad watching the ASPCA commercials for abandoned animals. A donation to any animal shelter in her name would make her happy. As an avid gardener, she would be pleased if you planted something to grow in her name.
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