Aunt Maria: Memories from the Wu Family

August 8, 2009

This epitomizes our memory of Aunt Maria. Side by side with her 'little sister' Margaret, who's been at Maria's side for over 90 years - despite wars, tragedies and marriages that often kept them apart, but only in a physical sense. In spirit, in their hearts, they were never far from one another. Margaret looked for Maria for guidance throughout their lives. Maria came to Margaret first when she came to this country with her family to start a new life - a new adventure. They even shared the adventure of 'late-in-life' babies. Their voices were often indistinguishable on the telephone. No two sisters could be closer. No two sisters could have had more stunning life stories. This photo was taken just weeks before Maria's passing. May we long remember how happy they - and their families - were to see them side by side on that day.

The meals

Most of my memories of Po Po revolve around special family meals of one sort or another. One of the first times I met her was many years ago when she still lived in Riverside and would host amazing Thanksgiving dinners. She would make this chestnut sticky rice that to this day I still think of. When she moved to SF, I couldn't enjoy her Thanksgivings anymore, but I got to enjoy so many wonderful meals around holidays like Moon Festival and birthdays. Foods like persimmons will always remind me of her.

Some day, if Galen wouldn't mind trying to transcribe some of her recipes, it would be great. She also had an amazing knowledge of Chinese medicine, and I really appreciated her/Galen's help in tracking down the magical anti-swelling root.

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Tai Poh and Richard

I love this photo that Richard posted.


Maria Yuen Yau Leung, 
10/10/1915-10/9/2009

Memorial Announcement

October 16, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

On Friday October 9th, our loved and cherished mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and Auntie Maria Yuen Yau Leung, 5th daughter of her family, and wife of the late Joseph Kin Hing Leung, departed from this world. She passed peacefully in her sleep with family at her side, holding her hands.

While the family is greatly saddened, we take refuge in the fact that she lived a very active life up until the end, and despite the challenges she faced with mobility and eyesight, she was still able to enjoy life, going out to her favorite restaurants with her family and friends, and even able to travel across the country to spend time with our large and extended family.

A memorial service will take place on Wednesday November 11th at 11:00 AM in the San Francisco Columbarium, where she and her husband will be reunited.

The address is:  1 Loraine Court, San Francisco, CA 94118 

More information about the Columbarium, which is run by the Neptune Society of Northern California, can be found at the following link:

http://www.neptune-society.com

Many of you have asked about sending flowers or making donations in her honor.

If you are so inclined, the family requests that, in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the charity of your choice in memory of Maria Leung.  Please consider:

• One of the educational foundations listed here:  http://www.cceflink.org/list.htm  (given her steadfast interest in education)
• Your local public television station (she was an avid fan of PBS programs)
• Self Help for the Elderly, which provided wonderful care to her for years.  The address for Self Help is: 407 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94111

Thank you for the many kind thoughts, phone calls, cards, and emails that have been received.   If you wish to send your reminiscences for a memory book (a collection of memories), please send them via e-mail to asyleung@gmail.com.

Best regards,

Robert, Jack, Angelia, and Galen