On August 9, 2019, Brian Quon Hip Lee passed away in Penticton surrounded by his loving family. He was born to Yuk and Jong Wai Ying Lee in Xinhui, Guangdong Province, China on January 15, 1933 and moved to Vancouver in 1949 to join his father in his shoe business on Main Street in Vancouver, BC.

Brian married Betty, the love of his life in 1958. In 1963 they moved to Greenwood where he operated the Midway Hotel Café. Later in 1963 the Lees became the first Chinese family to live in Osoyoos when they moved there and leased the Star Café on Main Street. They eventually bought this property and the adjacent building, The Santo Hotel, and renamed the buildings as the Rickshaw Village Restaurant in 1966.

Brian loved cooking, cars, poker and seeing new places, but mostly he loved his family and friends deeply and desired nothing more than for them to be happy and fulfilled. Brian leaves behind his devoted wife Betty, his children: Stephen, Diana, Suzanna, Tina and Stacy and their spouses, and four grandchildren: Aidan, Grayson, Brandan and Kristin. He is survived by his older brother Quon Sung Lee in San Francisco. He also leaves behind his brothers-in-law Jack Liu in Vancouver and James Wong in Osoyoos and sister-in-law Marguerite Ko in Vancouver and their children.

The Lee family would also like to express their gratitude for the care and support they received from Dr. DeVries and the staff at the Desert Doctors Clinic. They would also like to thank Dr. Cleveland, Dr. Dyck, Dr. Davidson, Dr. Allen, Dr. Tarr, Dr. Jones, Dr. Hubert, Dr. Ng, and their staff, as well as Dr. Folk and PJ at Mt. St. Joseph Hospital and the staff at the Oliver Hospital and everyone at the Penticton Hospital IC Unit for their warmth, kindness, and professionalism.

A Celebration of Life Open House will be held at the Golden Chopsticks (formerly the Rickshaw Village), 8527 Main St. in Osoyoos on Saturday September 21, 2019 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. A formal presentation will be held at 12:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers you are welcome to bring a memory to record at a video-sharing booth during the Open House that will form part of a digital memory book for the family. If you are unable to attend, you may send the family your stories and condolences by e-mail to [email protected].