Obituary of Florence Y. Lee

Yen Yee (“Florence”) Liu Lee passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. She had just shared 95 years of unconditional love, support, laughter and wonderful memories with family and friends.

Florence was born in Shanghai, China in 1928.  She was educated in many different schools and cities throughout China due to the Sino Japanese war and her father’s various appointments within the government.  She finished her freshman year at Aurora College in Shanghai, China.  However, her family relocated to the United States.   Florence continued her college education and graduated from the Manhattanville College in New York City with a Bachelor of Arts degree and double major in History and Education in 1952.

In Manhattanville College, she sang in the Madrigal choir and sang in many religious ceremonies on and off campus.  She met her loving husband, Chang Yuan (Peter) Lee In New York City. He also enjoyed music and performing arts and they enjoyed participating in many local performances together.  They were married in 1955, spent many of their years raising their family in New Jersey and eventually moved to southern California. Florence worked for the County of Orange, CA in the Accounting department, passed many certification exams, and eventually retired after 15 years in the Auditor Controller’s Department.  She and Chang Yuan returned to New Jersey in 2016.

Florence and Chang shared many travel adventures throughout their 65 years of marriage. They visited Russia, Europe, South America, South Africa, Australia, Egypt and explored parts of China that they never experienced in their youth.  Florence had a heart of gold, the patience of a saint and exuded heartfelt kindness.  She loved and supported her family and always put everyone else before herself.  She was a woman of deep faith, and her unending support of family and friends was an inspiration to all.   She always felt blessed and thankful for her family and friends.   She was a devoted wife, and mother and wonderful friend to all.  Her light shone upon all of us, and the world was brighter for her presence.  We are all so grateful to have received her love and to love her.  She will be deeply missed and forever treasured in our hearts and memories.

She leaves only joyful memories to her adored daughters, Madeleine Lee and her husband Kenneth Fagan of Westfield (NJ), Julianna Douches and her husband David of Okemos (MI), and Helen Krisiewicz and her husband Edward of Parsippany (NJ); her cherished grandchildren, Jacqueline Douches and husband Gregory and Daniel Douches and his wife Julie, Lia and Peter Fagan, and Alexandra and Amanda Krisiewicz; her other caring family, Theodore Lee, Dorothy Chen, Roy and Bu Chen, Sarah Chen and David Chen, Troy and Alisa Sakai Chen, Kyrie Chen, Maya Chen, Peggy Yee, Stephanie and Tony Glass, Jason Glass, Rachel Glass, Jeff and Cindy Yu and other many other extended family and friends.  She was preceded in death by her brother, William Yen Wei Liu.

Public Visitation will be held on Friday, October 20^th from 5 – 8 pm at Norman Dean Home for Services, 16 Righter Avenue, Denville. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 21^st at 10 am at Holy Trinity RC Church, 315 1st St, Westfield, NJ 07090. Burial will immediately follow at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield.

*If you are unable to attend Mass, it will be livestreamed via Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church Youtube page, or by clicking here*

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are being accepted to the American Cancer Society or Parkinson’s Foundation by way of www.inmemof.org to ensure receipt of your donation. Please leave a condolence, light a candle, and share your favorite memory of Florence here to continue to celebrate the life she shared with us.