Siok-Uan Lee Tan .
Siok-Uan Lee Tan, 104, passed away peacefully at her grandson's home in South Burlington, Vt., August 13, 2010, her grandson, Christopher K. Tan and his wife, Cindy A. Tan at her bedside. She was born in Suzhou, China August 3, 1907, the daughter of Sio-Tang Lee and Ching-Foo Sang. Siok-Uan Lee Tan was married to the late Chinese Nationalist hero, Tan Qingji, who was credited with the small revolution which took place eleven days prior to the final battle that overthrew the Qing Dynasty of China in 1911. Known to the family as Amma, which is Chinese for grandmother, Siok-Uan came to the United States in 1963. In 1992, she studied for the naturalization exam, passed the test, and became a U.S. citizen. Though Amma had lived a privileged life with homes in Japan, the Philippines and Hong Kong, she left that behind to care for the children of her son, James S. B. Tan and his wife Barbara. She moved with the family to Erie, Pennsylvania and remained there for ten years. She spent time with her daughter's family in Toronto, Canada and then lived for 20 years in Los Angeles near her son Che-Bin Tan and her grandson Derek's family. In 2008, she moved to South Burlington to live with her grandson Christopher and his family, where she enjoyed spending time with her great-grandchildren Xander and Lyssa. Siok-Uan grew up in a Chinese middle class family during a time when foot binding and no schooling were women's lot, yet she fought to free her feet and her father sent her to school. She married into wealth and status, yet saw her husband die and lost her home in the Philippines during WWII to the Japanese. She spoke Mandarin, Fujian, Cantonese, Japanese and the language of the Philippines, Tagalog and she patiently taught her daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren Chinese. Siok-Uan is survived by her daughter, Se-Eng Lim and her grandsons Milton Lim, Winston Lim, Ericton Lim and their wives and granddaughter Abigail Hossu and her husband of Toronto, Canada; her son Che-Bin Tan and his wife Esther and her grandson Derek and his wife of Laguna Woods, California; her grandsons Christopher K. Tan of South Burlington, Vt. and Craig K. Tan of Ashburn, Va. and their wives; her granddaughter Leslie M. Tan of Kent, Ohio and her husband. She is also survived by fifteen great grandchildren; as well as family in the Philippines and Australia. She was preceded in death by her husband, Qingji Tan and her son, James Se-Bin Tan, of Meadville, Pennsylvania. If friends and family wish make a donation in Siok-Uan's memory, her son James has a memorial scholarship fund at Edinboro University. Please contact Marilyn Goellner at 814-732-1778, or
mgoellner@edinboro.edu. Funeral arrangements are at the Ready Funeral Home, 261 Shelburne Road, Burlington, VT 05403, 802-862-0991. Calling hours are Friday August 20, 2010 from 6-9 p.m, and the service will be held Saturday August 21, 2010 at 1 p.m.