Karen S. Yuen

Karen S. Yuen was born in Hong Kong on February 26th, 1940 as the fourth sister and sixth born of nine children to Man-Wah Lau: and Kwai-Fong Mak:

Karen traveled to Taipei to study nursing at the Taiwan Sanitarium and Hospital of Seventh Day Adventists. While in nursing school, she caught the eye of the man who would later become her husband - the late Edward F. Yuen, who was hospitalized for tonsillitis. They dated for a year and corresponded by love letters in a long distance relationship for three years while Edward was in the United States for graduate studies. He proposed to her in a letter, she accepted and then, she returned to Hong Kong to work and prepare for her arrival to Chicago. Edward secured a sponsored work visa for Karen at a hospital to work as a nurse. They were married on September 5th, 1964 at the Chinese Christian Union Church in Chinatown.

When their first daughter was born, followed by another daughter and son, Karen left nursing to be a full time homemaker. She enjoyed being a young mother spending time with her 3 children, cooking, knitting, sewing clothes, gardening, painting ceramics, taking photos, singing hymns and playing the piano. Karen and Edward enjoyed listening to classical music, watching movies, and taking family walks at forest preserves. Karen especially enjoyed watching Elvis Presley movies, Wheel of Fortune and MacGyver. Karen and Edward were members of the Chinese Christian Mandarin Church for many years and raised their children to attend church and have faith in God. In their older years, Karen and Edward attended the Xilin Community Center in Naperville for Adult Senior Day Care Services where she would watch Chinese television dramas and watch Edward play mahjong. Karen learned to play as well and would often play mahjong with him at home.

Karen is survived by her children: Marie, Julie (Paul Garcia) and her grandchildren Alaina and Zachary, and Lawrence. Her surviving family are her sister Siu Yin Lau and her sons Fred Lee, Chris Lee and his wife Joas and their children Yolanda and Caleb, Andrew Lee and his wife Melinda and son Matthias, her brother-in-law Yuen Po Leung (widower of her late sister Anna Leung) and their daughter Vivian.

Visitation will be Thursday, November 13 from 3:00pm – 8:00pm at Modell Funeral Home 7710 South Cass Avenue, Darien. The Funeral Service and Interment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, please donate a memorial gift on behalf of Karen S. Yuen's name to:

DuPage Senior Services OR Xilin Association for Chinese seniors:

https://www.dupageseniorcouncil.org/donations-gift/

https://xilinweb.org/donations/