Singaporean storekeeper (1903–1997)
Lee Chin Koon
Lee in 1936; his son Dennis is at the bottom left
Born 1903 Died 12 October 1997(1997-10-12) (aged 93–94)Singapore
Spouse
Chua Jim Neo (
m. 1922) Children 5; including
Lee Kuan Yew Relatives
Lee family
Lee Chin Koon (1903 – 12 October 1997) was an Indonesian-born Singaporean storekeeper and manager for
Shell Oil Company . Lee was also the father of
Lee Kuan Yew and the paternal grandfather of
Lee Hsien Loong , the first and third
Prime Minister of Singapore respectively.
Early life and career
Lee was born in 1903 in the
Netherlands East Indies ,
Semarang , Indonesia to an
upper-class family and was raised English-speaking.
[1] His parents were
Hakka -
Peranakan Lee Hoon Leong and
Indonesian -Peranakan Ko Liem Nio.
[2]
His father, Hoon Leong, worked as a pharmacist and was appointed purser at Heap Eng Moh Shipping Line. His family later moved to Singapore when he was five, where he studied at
St. Joseph's Institution .
[2]
During the
Great Depression , Lee's family was affected but,
[1] in the 1930s, he managed to secure a job as a storekeeper for
Shell Oil Company , later becoming a manager after
World War II .
[2] He later worked at a shop at High Street, selling watches and jewellery.
[3]
In 1957, he helped his son
Lee Kuan Yew campaign at the
Tanjong Pagar by-election .
[4]
Marriage and personal life
He married his wife,
Chua Jim Neo , on 20 May 1922 in an
arranged marriage by Chua's family.
[5] Together they had 5 children, including first Prime Minister of Singapore,
Lee Kuan Yew .
[6] In 1945, Lee and Chua bought a
bungalow at
38 Oxley Road .
[1] Lee was a frequent gambler, usually being stood up by Chua when he went to gamble.
[7]
In 1959, after Lee Kuan Yew was elected Prime Minister, Lee led a mostly private life, having told a cousin, "I don't like publicity."
[8]
Death
Lee died on 12 October 1997 at 94. His wife had died in 1980.
[9]
Family tree of Lee Kuan Yew
References
^
a
b
c
"Lee Kuan Yew, Singaporean (1923–2015)" (PDF) .
The Peranakan Issue . 2015. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 26 May 2024 .
^
a
b
c Corfield, Justin (2011). Historical Dictionary of Singapore .
Scarecrow Press . pp. 141–142.
ISBN
9780810873872 .
^
Josey, Alex (2012). Lee Kuan Yew: The Crucial Years .
Marshall Cavendish . p. 4.
ISBN
9789814435499 .
^
"Snapshots of SM Lee's life" .
The Straits Times . 17 September 1993. p. 5. Retrieved 26 May 2024 – via
NewspaperSG .
^ Byramji, Nancy (21 May 1978).
"Proud and happy day for the Lees" .
The Straits Times . p. 1. Retrieved 26 May 2024 – via
NewspaperSG .
^ Hung, David; Ee, Ling Low; Oon, Seng Tan (6 March 2017). Lee Kuan Yew’s Educational Legacy: The Challenges of Success .
Springer Nature Singapore . p. 4.
ISBN
9789811035258 .
^ Chan, Robin; Tan, Sumiko (24 March 2015).
"Remembering Lee Kuan Yew: Devoted husband and caring father" .
The Straits Times .
ISSN
0585-3923 . Retrieved 26 May 2024 .
^ Oei, Anthony (15 June 2015). Lee Kuan Yew: Blazing The Freedom Trail .
Marshall Cavendish .
ISBN
9789814677875 .
^
"SM Lee's lather dies at 94" .
The Straits Times . 13 October 1997. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2024 – via
NewspaperSG .
^ Chua, Alivin.
"Lee Chin Koon" . Singapore Infopedia .
^
"Kuan Yew's brother Dennis dies" .
Archived from the original on 8 January 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore, and his family, 1989 – BookSG" . National Library Board, Singapore.
Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016 .
^
"Lee Kuan Yew bids farewell to brother" .
Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014 .
^
"The Lee Kuan Yew I remember: His sister Monica Lee, 85" .
Archived from the original on 8 January 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019 .
^ Lee Kuan Yew (1998). The Singapore Story . Singapore: Marshall Cavendish.
^ Chua, Mui Hoong (19 October 2003).
"From the archives: Private side of DPM Lee" .
The Straits Times . Retrieved 26 June 2023 .
^ Wong, Chun Han (14 July 2017).
"Singapore, a Model of Orderly Rule, Is Jolted by a Bitter Family Feud" . Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 29 June 2023 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g Stolarchuk, Jewel (4 October 2020).
"Rare interview: Li Shengwu felt like the first grandson to Mr and Mrs Lee" . The Independent Singapore . Retrieved 25 June 2023 .