Marilyn (Wong) Lee

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Marilyn Lee. Mom (Marilyn) passed away peacefully at the age of 84 in her own home of almost 60 years after battling dementia for the past 9 years and being hospitalized in March of this year with pneumonia.

Marilyn was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. She was one of 10 children born to Harry S. Wong and Lupe Salinas Wong. Marilyn and her twin sister Marion, were the third and fourth children born into the Wong family. Marion was the older twin, being born a few minutes earlier than Marilyn. Throughout their lifetime the twins still called each other by their childhood nicknames, “Pinky” (Marion) and “Tiny” (Marilyn).

On April 12, 1958, Marilyn married the love of her life, Paul S. Lee, and together they welcomed seven children into this world. Family was everything to Mom. She always made time for her children and attended all of their extracurricular events (sports) as well as their academic awards ceremonies and she always let us know how proud she was of us.

Although she was constantly busy caring for her family, she still found time to sew clothes for her children and create beautifully hand-made beaded jewelry as well as garden, hike, camp, and fish with her husband, Paul. They would often be seen jogging together around the neighborhood. She was an excellent
cook and her cooking will always be cherished and remembered, but never duplicated.

In 1989, she lost her husband to cancer. Soon after, she began working as a volunteer at University Medical Center where she eventually found full-time employment and worked there until she retired at the age of 67 in the summer of 2007. In retirement, she continued to enjoy hiking, camping, and fishing with her family, and she delighted in spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren during family get-togethers.

Mom will be forever cherished and remembered as one of the most loving, caring, kind, generous, and gentle souls to ever walk this earth, and we will always honor her for the great love she showered upon us every day that she was here with us.

She is survived by her children Christine (Tina) Rubio (Ralph), Paul Lee Jr. (Sheri), Michell (Miki) Behrens (Pat), Darlene Lee-Bevers, Vinson Lee, Marilyn (Brite) Lee-Gonzalez (Rene), and Lily Olivani (Rodney), 6 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, and her siblings Anna Bourret. (Dennis), Ginger Tang, Susan Wong, Sharon Wong, Toi Wong, Harriet Hammel (Vic) and Anson Wong (Sharon).

She is also preceded in death by her brother Frank Wong (Helen), and her twin sister Marion (Pinky) Gin (William).