Joe Leung Rest in Peace...
It is with great sadness that I'm posting this, Joe Leung (aka Uncle Joe), former owner and operator of Ruby Restaurant, has passed away today. It's hard to even write this...
Joe was much more than a restauranteur, cook and Chef, for many at the ZYKFA. The school's name wouldn't be "Zhong Yi" if it wasn't for him, and his wife Stella, coming up with this perfect name for us. Joe was "Zhong Yi" in every sense of the word, he was loyal, just and righteous. He was also the godparent of one of our lions and showed the ZYKFA lion dancers many moves from his days as a lion dancer himself, not just dancing but jumping right into the firecrackers during Chinese New Years celebrations. He not only cooked delicious meals for many ZYKFA events, including Intructors banquets, birthday parties and summer programs he would also treat every one with love and respect, from important Shifu that were brought by to the most beginner students. The Youth Summer Program's kids has wonderful memories of this man.
Joe, you will always be remembered, admired and loved in our school, thank you for all the wonderful years.
Joe is survived by his wife Stella, son Hoffman and daughter Rani.
Madison – West
3610 Speedway Road
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
(608) 238-3434
I remember the first thing he said to me "You Nelson's student?' with this sidelong look. At the time, I always thought I was being measured up. Like he could look at me and was able to see inside me.
Many years later, I came to recognize that look not as disappointment, but rather the look of an uncle, long ahead of me on the same path, asking the kind of questions that were asked of him by those who went before. It was a relation I had to learn about and earn over time, not one granted without work or effort.
I will miss his cooking and the warmth I could now see in his glance and smile. He was not looking down on me, he was looking back along the line and seeing where I was and encouraging me to keep going.
"Catch up! Keep going!"
That's what that look was. Keep going. Catch up and maybe a little "Why you so slow? It's not too hard if you keep working!"
So if you find me looking at you, and perhaps asking, "You Nelson's student?" with that look on my face, I am just keeping something alive that was passed on...catch up, keep going. It's not too hard if you keep working.
Uncle Joe, you will be missed, keep a place in line for when I catch up.
Rabu
