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YIP, Victoria (nee Lore) Loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away peacefully at the age of 96 years on November 11, 2007 in Ottawa, Ontario. She was predeceased by her husband Quene (1994), who she faithfully supported during their 62 years of marriage. She was born in 1911 in Victoria, B.C, the first child of Chinese scholar Lore Neen and Chan Ling Ching. Her father instilled in her an appreciation of art, nature, beauty, and a love of learning. At the age of eleven, Victoria's mother passed away, leaving her to care for three younger sisters (Louise, Mary, Helen) and two younger brothers (Martin, Abraham), while still attending Chinese school and English school. She later taught Chinese school, while working to help support the family. In 1935 she married Quene, 16th son of Chinese Canadian patriarch, Yip Sang, and over the years Victoria became a beloved member of this very large and well known Vancouver family. In 1942, Victoria and Quene left Vancouver with their young family and settled in Blubber Bay, a small coastal community on Texada Island, where Quene worked as a chemist. Over the next twenty-five years, while caring for three growing boys, Victoria actively participated in many community activities such as the PTA, recreation association, United Church, and bridge clubs. She also taught painting, brought in a Shakespearean play, and even produced and directed a play featuring local children. She was renowned for her fabulous Chinese meals and made many lifelong friends on the island. Victoria welcomed and extended her hospitality to all those around her, regardless of whether they were blood relations or not. In 1967, Victoria and Quene moved back to Vancouver where she later worked as a buyer in Ming Wo Cookware. In 1980, she "officially retired" but continued to share her stories and experiences in the film "Saltwater City" and the book "Voices of Chinese Canadian Women", as well as with Chinese Canadian historical writers like Paul Yee and Wayson Choy. Two other artistic passions in her life were Chinese opera, which she attended in Victoria and Vancouver in the 1920's and 1930's, and oil painting, which she pursued in her fifties and sixties. In 2003, Victoria moved to the Amherst nursing home in Vancouver. Two years later, she moved to the Glebe Centre nursing home, and she spent her final days at the Ottawa General Hospital. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff for their dedicated and compassionate care, and special thanks to her wonderful longtime caregivers, Carolina and Ann. Victoria will be lovingly remembered for her strength, generosity, kindness, love and devotion to her family and her many, many friends and relatives. She is survived by sister Louise, sons Rick (late Angeline), Randall (Brenda Austin) and Robert (Lisa), grandchildren Jill, Andrew, Karen, Jennifer (and partners), and Sophie, Melissa and Alison and also great-grandchildren Benjamin, Andrew and Eveline. Friends are invited to visit Wednesday, November 14 at the Central Chapel of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 315 McLeod Street, Ottawa, from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Service and interment will be held Saturday, November 17, 10:30 a.m., at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 3789 Royal Oak Avenue, Burnaby, BC. In Victoria's memory, donations may be made to the charity of your choice. Published in the Ottawa Citizen from 11/13/2007 - 11/14/2007