Lillian Huie Lam

Lillian Huie Lam, who arrived in this country as a shy 7-year-old from China speaking only Cantonese, died January 3, 2025. On her last birthday, in November, she turned 101. Always a hard worker, she made the most of her century despite many challenges. She was a child of the Great Depression; suffered crippling injuries in a car accident as a teenager; and lost her mother and several siblings by the time she was 17. Lillian married after high school graduation and had two daughters, Nancy and Gwen. After a divorce, she met and married Warren Shue Lam in 1954 while living in Fall River, Mass. They moved to Long Island and started a family. In 1955, Lillian and Warren had a daughter, June, who died at 4 months, 18 days. Two years later, she gave birth to a boy, Raymond. In 1959, Li-Ling was born. While they sometimes struggled financially, Lillian never lost her brilliant smile. All she needed was a camera pointed in her direction. “Stay positive" was one of the mottos she leaned on throughout her life. In 1958, she and her husband bought a Chinese laundry on Merrick Avenue in East Meadow, which Lillian operated for seven years. During that time, Lillian's dream of owning her own home was realized when they moved into a new house on Newbridge Avenue, also in East Meadow. Nancy, Gwen, Raymond and Li-Ling all graduated from East Meadow High School. After the laundry was sold in 1965, Lillian worked at Abraham & Straus in Hempstead, where she taught knitting, crocheting and sewing. Lillian felt her big break came when she took the test to work at the United States Postal Service and passed the rigid memory test. It was a cinch for her, with her Latin studies from high school, sharp memory and excellent English and math skills. In 1967, She started working at the Hicksville Post Office and soon became a window clerk in Plainview in the Manetto Hill Shopping Center. During her 23-year career at the post office, Lillian was promoted through the ranks and retired in 1990 as a Workers Compensation administrative supervisor in Far Rockaway. Now she and her husband were free to travel. At 67, Lillian had spent most of her life caring for family and working. But after officially clocking out for the last time, Lillian was able to fully enjoy life, doing things she had put off for years. She and her husband visited Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and China many times. They traveled to London and Denmark with Nancy and her husband, Floyd Sorensen. Lillian loved sports and competition, so she and Warren joined a bowling league for couples in Levittown, where she was a high scorer each year and had the trophies to prove it. In one of her best years, she held a 157 average. She also had a high game of 223. In 1997, Lillian and Warren sold their home and bought a condo in Century Village, West Palm Beach, Florida, where they attended clubhouse dances, live shows and holiday parties. Lillian was a huge fan of weekly Bingo games and played the penny slot machines, abundant in her community, almost every day. Lillian enjoyed music - Broadway tunes, opera, hymns, Big Band and popular songs - and loved to sing along when she knew the lyrics. She joined the cast of one clubhouse revue, singing and snapping her fingers to tunes from "Grease." She had three or four costume changes for the show and loved the experience. It was proof that this once very shy girl had come out of her shell. Still vibrant at 80, Lillian added playing golf to her long list of activities. She and Warren became friends with other Asians in the community and Lillian was always eager to play mahjong. She seemed undaunted by any new challenge. Her 23 years in Florida were the best of her life, she would often say, because there was so much to do and no responsibilities. Even though she was busy, Lillian still wanted to help others. For many years, she was an AARP volunteer, doing tax returns for free, a service to the older community there. She also became a volunteer proofreader for the Century Village newspaper and collected advertising fees for the publication. One of Lillian's greatest pleasures while in her 80s was learning to dance the Hula. She joined Geri Yee's group after learning the movements and performed shows at senior centers and veterans homes in Florida. When she stayed with Nancy and Floyd during the summer months, she danced with Geri's New York group in Huntington Station, performing with them at the senior center when it was located at St. Hugh of Lincoln. As years passed, Lillian and Warren started to slow down and moved to Flushing, New York, to live with their son, Raymond. After two years, Lillian decided she wanted to try assisted living and settled on a place in Agawam, Mass., a few miles from the home of her daughter Li-Ling Waller, who found Heritage Woods for them. Lillian enjoyed the activities there - Bingo, Wii bowling, a few craft classes - and attended the Protestant services. She signed up for every weekly bus excursion to ice-cream shops, clothing stores, parks and drives around the area, always appreciating getting out for the day. After Warren died in 2000 at age 93, she continued to be active at Heritage Woods, In 2023, Lillian was determined to see her 100th birthday. No one in the family had accomplished that, and her competitive nature kicked in. A couple of months before her actual birthday, Nancy and her daughter, Kerri Gravelle, arranged a 100th birthday party for her in Westport, Conn. She glowed with happiness, able to celebrate making yet another goal in her long life. When her birthday came in November, she had another celebration at Heritage Woods, arranged by Li-Ling and the staff there. So many residents attended the party, and she delighted when telling them about her life's journey. That same month, she was the guest of honor at the Heritage Woods & "November birthdays" party and special lunch for residents born that month. It was such a big year for her, and she loved all the attention. In November this year, Lillian celebrated her 101st birthday at the home of Li-Ling and her husband Bill. Lillian was surrounded by family and enjoyed the chicken and noodles that traditional Chinese eat on their birthday. Her new favorite dessert was Jell-O. Lillian's life was full. Her four grown children all had children of their own. She had seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She could no longer do the Hula or move her arms gracefully to tropical music, but her smile was still brilliant. Lillian had lived without bitterness or regret and never complained when the road filled with obstacles. She remained a person of principle and a caring heart. At a Chinese banquet party in 2004 to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary to Warren, Lillian told her guests, "We have been lucky to have good health, good friends and a loving family, and we wish the same for all of you who have come here from far and near tonight." It was Lillian's way of wanting everyone to share what she considered her good fortune with all those she cared about.

Lillian Huie Lam

November 23, 1923 - January 3, 2025