Mrs. Claire Chin (née Lee) passed away peacefully at her home on October 30, 2016 in San Jose, California at the age of 71.
Claire is survived by her husband, Thomas Chin, and her children, Julie and Jason Chin.
Claire was born on April 6, 1945 in Canton, China to Shew On and Yett King Lee. She attended Galileo High School in San Francisco, and later graduated from City College of San Francisco with an Associate's degree. She met Thomas through her brother Horton. Claire and Thomas married in 1967.
Claire began working for Bank of America as a teller. She took time off from work for several years to start and raise a family. Julie was born in 1971, followed by Jason in 1974. Her children remember her as a gentle, kind, devoted mother who encouraged them to work hard to achieve their goals. She later returned to work in retail as a cashier at Target when the store first opened in Cupertino at the former Gemco location, and continued to work there until her retirement in 2008.
Claire was an accomplished cook as well as a savvy shopper. She was a thoughtful woman who selflessly dedicated her life to raising her two children and loved doting on her nieces and nephews during family gatherings. In her free time, she was passionate about watching Chinese dramas, hiking, tai-chi, baking, and enjoying the simple things in life like shopping, good food, getting together with family and friends, and ice cream.
A funeral service is scheduled for November 9, 2016 at 11am at Alameda Family Funeral & Cremation (12341 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd, Saratoga), followed by burial at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery (22555 Cristo Rey Drive, Los Altos). A reception follows at Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant (10123 N Wolfe Road, Cupertino).
All are welcome to attend and celebrate Claire's life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org. The family would like to thank the Kaiser Santa Clara hospital staff, and family and friends for helping out during Claire's time of need.