WATERVILLE, ME -- Sun "Sunny" Lai, 73, passed away at home Wednesday evening, June 24, 2009, after a final battle with cancer.
He was born in Nanhai, China, on Nov. 5, 1935, to Lai Lok-moi and Yang Yi-mui.
In 1958, he fled from Southern China to Hong Kong. In the 1960s, he worked as a merchant mariner until he decided to stay in New York in 1968. He began his cooking career in Boston and, in the early 1970s, made his way to Waterville, where he worked at the Jefferson. On Jan. 5, 1973, he married Kathleen Smith. In 1980 he became a citizen of the United States.
Sunny, chef and restaurateur, opened five restaurants, beginning with China Town in Waterville in the mid-'70s. His last restaurant was Jade East in Belfast.
In retirement, he volunteered as a chef at a Buddhist society in Boston.
He enjoyed cooking, reading, fishing and politics.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, of Waterville; his son, Christopher of Tacoma; his elder sister, Yan-ying of Ottawa, Ontario; his younger sister, Heng-oi of San Francisco; his brother, Gan-won of Hong Kong, China; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial and reception will occur 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Mount St. Joseph's Cathedral Pines, 7 Highwood St., in Waterville. Chaplain Martha Gagliardi will officiate.
Burial will occur at sea in San Francisco.
The family wishes to extend its deepest gratitude to Dr. Andrew Hertler and staff at Harold Alfond Cancer Care Center; Glenice Skelton, Lee Lyford and the excellent staff at Healthreach Homecare & Hospice; the doctors and staff at MaineGeneral; his hospice volunteer, Brig; and, of course, John Whitney.
In memory of Sunny, contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718; or Hospice Foundation of America,1621 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20009.
Published in the Morning Sentinel on 6/30/2009
He was born in Nanhai, China, on Nov. 5, 1935, to Lai Lok-moi and Yang Yi-mui.
In 1958, he fled from Southern China to Hong Kong. In the 1960s, he worked as a merchant mariner until he decided to stay in New York in 1968. He began his cooking career in Boston and, in the early 1970s, made his way to Waterville, where he worked at the Jefferson. On Jan. 5, 1973, he married Kathleen Smith. In 1980 he became a citizen of the United States.
Sunny, chef and restaurateur, opened five restaurants, beginning with China Town in Waterville in the mid-'70s. His last restaurant was Jade East in Belfast.
In retirement, he volunteered as a chef at a Buddhist society in Boston.
He enjoyed cooking, reading, fishing and politics.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, of Waterville; his son, Christopher of Tacoma; his elder sister, Yan-ying of Ottawa, Ontario; his younger sister, Heng-oi of San Francisco; his brother, Gan-won of Hong Kong, China; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial and reception will occur 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Mount St. Joseph's Cathedral Pines, 7 Highwood St., in Waterville. Chaplain Martha Gagliardi will officiate.
Burial will occur at sea in San Francisco.
The family wishes to extend its deepest gratitude to Dr. Andrew Hertler and staff at Harold Alfond Cancer Care Center; Glenice Skelton, Lee Lyford and the excellent staff at Healthreach Homecare & Hospice; the doctors and staff at MaineGeneral; his hospice volunteer, Brig; and, of course, John Whitney.
In memory of Sunny, contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718; or Hospice Foundation of America,1621 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20009.
Published in the Morning Sentinel on 6/30/2009
WATERVILLE, ME -- Sun "Sunny" Lai, 73, passed away at home Wednesday evening, June 24, 2009, after a final battle with cancer.
He was born in Nanhai, China, on Nov. 5, 1935, to Lai Lok-moi and Yang Yi-mui.
In 1958, he fled from Southern China to Hong Kong. In the 1960s, he worked as a merchant mariner until he decided to stay in New York in 1968. He began his cooking career in Boston and, in the early 1970s, made his way to Waterville, where he worked at the Jefferson. On Jan. 5, 1973, he married Kathleen Smith. In 1980 he became a citizen of the United States.
Sunny, chef and restaurateur, opened five restaurants, beginning with China Town in Waterville in the mid-'70s. His last restaurant was Jade East in Belfast.
In retirement, he volunteered as a chef at a Buddhist society in Boston.
He enjoyed cooking, reading, fishing and politics.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, of Waterville; his son, Christopher of Tacoma; his elder sister, Yan-ying of Ottawa, Ontario; his younger sister, Heng-oi of San Francisco; his brother, Gan-won of Hong Kong, China; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial and reception will occur 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Mount St. Joseph's Cathedral Pines, 7 Highwood St., in Waterville. Chaplain Martha Gagliardi will officiate.
Burial will occur at sea in San Francisco.
The family wishes to extend its deepest gratitude to Dr. Andrew Hertler and staff at Harold Alfond Cancer Care Center; Glenice Skelton, Lee Lyford and the excellent staff at Healthreach Homecare & Hospice; the doctors and staff at MaineGeneral; his hospice volunteer, Brig; and, of course, John Whitney.
In memory of Sunny, contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718; or Hospice Foundation of America,1621 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20009.
Published in the Morning Sentinel on 6/30/2009
He was born in Nanhai, China, on Nov. 5, 1935, to Lai Lok-moi and Yang Yi-mui.
In 1958, he fled from Southern China to Hong Kong. In the 1960s, he worked as a merchant mariner until he decided to stay in New York in 1968. He began his cooking career in Boston and, in the early 1970s, made his way to Waterville, where he worked at the Jefferson. On Jan. 5, 1973, he married Kathleen Smith. In 1980 he became a citizen of the United States.
Sunny, chef and restaurateur, opened five restaurants, beginning with China Town in Waterville in the mid-'70s. His last restaurant was Jade East in Belfast.
In retirement, he volunteered as a chef at a Buddhist society in Boston.
He enjoyed cooking, reading, fishing and politics.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, of Waterville; his son, Christopher of Tacoma; his elder sister, Yan-ying of Ottawa, Ontario; his younger sister, Heng-oi of San Francisco; his brother, Gan-won of Hong Kong, China; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial and reception will occur 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Mount St. Joseph's Cathedral Pines, 7 Highwood St., in Waterville. Chaplain Martha Gagliardi will officiate.
Burial will occur at sea in San Francisco.
The family wishes to extend its deepest gratitude to Dr. Andrew Hertler and staff at Harold Alfond Cancer Care Center; Glenice Skelton, Lee Lyford and the excellent staff at Healthreach Homecare & Hospice; the doctors and staff at MaineGeneral; his hospice volunteer, Brig; and, of course, John Whitney.
In memory of Sunny, contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718; or Hospice Foundation of America,1621 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20009.
Published in the Morning Sentinel on 6/30/2009
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