Jean Chan Chew

Jean Chan Chew - A Life Well Lived

Jean took her last breath on April 23rd, one day after the 13th anniversary of her beloved husband "Hank" Henry Reginald Chew's passing.

She first met Hank when they were young teens in junior high school. As they were seated in every successive class alphabetically, Chan (her maiden name) in front of Chew, he was forever tempted to pull her hair.

When Jean & Hank became engaged they rushed to tell her folks, and hearing the Good Humor ice cream truck song nearby waved down the ice cream man & toasted by having ice cream. Maybe because of that joyous moment her love of ice cream never waned. Many birthday candles were lit on ice cream pies instead of cake. Fast forwarding to her last 3 months in assisted living she often ordered 2 scoops of ice cream instead of one, even once savoring 3.

Unique on a Thursday evening, Jean & Hank had a church wedding followed by a traditional Chinese banquet at Chew's Cafe. This date was chosen by Jean's future mother-in-law based on being a very auspicious day by Chinese astrology which proved to be true.

Now united again with Hank, in their 58 years of marriage, they never spent the night apart from each other.

Jean took her first breath on July 14th in the year 1926, being born the 3rd child of 7 siblings to Lily Fong & Sik Cheung Chan in the Chan family home in East Los Angeles. Due to her parents being familiar with mostly Chinese names, the family obstetrician who delivered all of the Chan babies chose their English born names; Lillian, David, Jean, Roy, Ellen, Dorothy, & Dora.

Family was everything to Jean, and the tree roots grew deep & the branches high. Her formative years as a daughter & sister were rich in familial bond, tradition & culture. In the Chan & Chew Clans, from the elders to the babies, family members total 236 with 219 surviving. Adding many close friends & neighbors who she counted as extended family brought her a wealth of family well over 300. Starting in the late 1970's everyone was welcomed to the multigenerational annual Chew & Chan family picnic, a sign of assimilation of Chinese American culture with bao & chow mein served alongside burgers & hotdogs.

Culturally, Jean & Hank were close knit to family and chose to live physically close to them too. First as newlyweds living in a small bungalow behind the Chew family home on 15th Street, and second as new parents in a Chew family quadraplex which for some years was solely occupied by 3 generations of their family on Westmoreland Blvd. Between the Chew Clan & Chan Clan on 22nd Street here was never a shortage of homemade Chinese delicacies or family gossip.

Jean & Hank did branch out to new horizons when they bought a new home to raise their 3 children, Karen, Leslie & Mars, in the Hollywood Hills on Creston Drive. If the house could speak it would tell tales through the years as they fully embraced their in-law-hood to Lloyd, Cyn & Campbell, & relished becoming a Pau Pau & Gung Gung to their granddaughter Rachel, and later Stefan. It is amusing to reminisce back to when Jean & Hank were newly married & a fateful evening when in a playful mood they asked the OUIJA board where would they be living in the future. Ironically, it had spelled out "gopher hole" which at that time they related to Griffith Park as it was notorious for gophers. For 5 decades they daily viewed Griffith Park & its landmark observatory from their windows.

Numbers were how Jean related to the world. Her fascination made her a solid bookkeeper for a US military aeronautics manufacturer during WWII and in later decades for HR Chew Associates & Chew 15th Street Property. Shopping with coupons galore became a fun game to her. Every year she copiously hand wrote the new birthday age of every single Chan & Chew family member in her yearly calendar.

Jean was born in the Chinese Year of the Tiger. Maybe because she was a feline she literally had nine lives having survived 8 near fatal illnesses. With her Tiger personality her inherent strength helped enable her to conquer all until the last.

Like most matriarchs in Chinese families, Jean nurtured us by preparing traditional foods. Her favorites were Jook & Jai as well as sweet Gok. She was videotaped Chinese Martha Stewart style so as to carry on the traditions.

A sports enthusiast, she started bowling as a teenager but really excelled in a competitive hobby league with other mothers.  Jean garnered many trophies as she often scored over 200, and one time nearing a perfect score. In her 40s & into her 50s she skied with the only interruption being a full cast leg break from a ski accident. Even in the last chapter of her life as her strength was becoming diminished, she still showed competitiveness as her physical therapists often commented that she would push herself on her walker well beyond her fatigue and always with a smile of accomplishment.

Forever carrying a positive attitude to the very end she leaves an indelible mark in our lives. Here are two of her most common coined phrases:

"I'm coming along", "How are you coming along?"
She would want us all to be coming along.

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Due to COVID-19, there will be no funeral service. A private interment for immediate family will take place on May 18th at 2:00pm. Please feel free to say a prayer or light a candle in remembrance of Jean at that time.

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IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood or the Flowers for Jean fund.

First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood

Jean loved the cathedral choir music with its magnificent pipe organ at her church. Your donation in Jean's memory will help repair and maintain the church's historic pipe organ.

Donations accepted by check or online:

Mailing address: FPCH, Attn: Business Office/AR, 1760 N Gower St, Los Angeles, CA 90028 - Please memo check "In memory of Jean Chew"

Online giving: shelbygiving.com/fpch - Select Designated Donation > Discretionary, include "In memory of Jean Chew" in Fund Memo

Flowers for Jean Memorial Fund

Jean loved flowers & they loved her. She tended to them with care & her flowers, particularly her orchids, would thrive & reblossom year after year. Your donation to this fund will provide Jean with monthly & special occasion fresh flowers at her crypt.

Donate online: Flowers for Jean Memorial Fund