HR0462 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0462 LRB104 15340 ECR 28494 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Raymond Ben-Kuey Lee of Chicago, who passed away on August 31, 2025; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lee was born in Guangdong, China on September 7, 1934; he immigrated to the United States at the age of 16; he settled with family in Chicago, where he worked at a grocery store business started by his great-grandfather, Quong Yick & Co., through his teen and early college years; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lee and his wife, Jean T. Lee, founded and ran Golden Country Oriental Foods for more than 30 years; during their tenure, their business branched out into the wholesale business, resulting in it becoming one of the largest importers of Asian, Caribbean, and African food products in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lee was instrumental in the successful growth of Chicago's Chinatown through his business ventures, community leadership, and philanthropy; as president and board chairman of the Chinese American Development Corporation (CADC), he aided in the construction of Chinatown Square; through his work as one of the founders and a managing director of the Chinatown Parking Corporation (CPC), two parking lots were made accessible for the neighborhood's business community; as president of the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce (CCCC), he was responsible for Chinatown's iconic Chinese Pagoda and Nine Dragon Wall, implementing new safety measures and regular street cleaning and introducing a now annual summer fair; he also served as an elder and a board officer of the Lee Family Association and as a board member of the Chinese American Service League; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lee further served his community through public office; as a commissioner of the Chicago Park District and a member of the Chicago Board of Education, he procured funds to build Ping Tom Memorial Park and to renovate the 100-year-old John C. Haines Elementary School; outside of public office, he documented Chinatown's history through his memoir, Growing Up in Chicago's Chinatown: The Stories of Raymond Lee, published in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lee and his wife remained committed to serving Chicago's Chinatown community, donating the Quong Yick & Co. building in 2004, which was converted into the Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC); they continued to support CAMOC over the next 20 years, providing a residual contribution from the dissolution of CADC after the completion of Chinatown Square and making a $2,000,000 restricted endowment fund in memory of Jean after her passing in June 2023; in honor of their dedication, they became the namesake of the museum building, the Raymond B. and Jean T. Lee Center; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lee received numerous accolades throughout his life, including the 2007 Luminary Award from the Chicago Senior Citizen Hall of Fame, the 2010 Philanthropic Award from CAMOC, the 2012 Outstanding Community Leader Award from the Chicago Cultural Alliance, the 2012 Pan Asian American Ping Tom Memorial Award from the Asian American Coalition of Chicago and the CCCC, the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, and the 2023 Community Visionary Award from the Chinatown Museum Foundation (CMF); and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lee left a lasting impact on the Chinese American community of Chicago, and he will be remembered for his generosity and foresight; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Raymond Ben-Kuey Lee and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Raymond Lee as an expression of our deepest sympathy.