James Yee
April 6, 1941-July 10, 2013
Age 72, James Yee, beloved father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle and friend entered into rest on Wednesday, July 10, at his home in Mountain View, CA. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends, who were deeply blessed by his loving presence in their lives.
Loving and devoted son of Tom Poy and Ngon Jee Yee, long-time residents of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and owners of the popular local Golden Dragon Restaurant, James was a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Kelton Elementary School and graduated from Dormont High School in 1959. He was on the high school's gymnastics team with his brother William, and good times included hanging out with his friends, drinking sodas at Rexall drugstore, and swimming at Dormont Pool.
Shortly after graduating from high school in 1959, in pursuit of educational and career opportunities, James moved westward to the state of California, where he eventually settled down and grew his family and the friendships who now hold him in fond remembrance.
He was a lifelong sports enthusiast and self-avowed fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates, as well as the San Francisco 49'ers and Giants. A pool shark in his younger years, he was known to many in Bay Area billiards clubs and pool hall circles. He was an avid fresh and saltwater fisherman and also enjoyed sketching portraits, landscapes, and other artistic doodles. Family and friends say he also was a "handyman" who had a knack for finding engineering solutions for those difficult household repairs, and that one could always rely upon him to lend a helping hand in time of need. He loved spending time with his grandchildren hiking, biking, fishing, kiting, going to volleyball events and discovering their interests. His legacy as a brave, persevering person, at once both strong and gentle, is far reaching. His calm demeanor and strengthening presence in the lives of those he touched leave a lasting impression in our hearts which will always be cherished.
James is survived by four doting daughters, Lisa Stumm (Donna) of Long Beach, CA; Judy (Jeffrey) Smithers of Missoula, MT; Joyce Yee (Jean) of El Cerrito, CA; and Katherine (Nelson) Espiritu of Milpitas, CA; one admiring son, Fred Hawkins of Birmingham, AL; two adoring grandchildren, granddaughter, Sadie (15), and grandson, Joshua (8); five siblings, Susan (Alfred) Fong of Los Altos, CA; Gordon (Blue) Yee of Santa Fe, NM; William Yee of Phoenix, AZ; John (Darlene) Yee of Pittsburgh, PA; and Jane Yee, of Pittsburgh, PA.
Friends are invited to attend a memorial service in celebration of his life to be held at the Sunnyvale Recreation Center-in the Community Room, at
550 E. Remington Drive, Sunnyvale, CA, 94087, on Friday, July 26, 2013, at 2:30 PM. Condolences may also be made at http://james-yee.muchloved.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of James Yee to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org/donate or to the MS Society at www.nationalmssociety.org.