Jayne Yim Ching Lew

Jayne Yim Ching Lew was born on February 27th, 1941, in the village of HuanZhou in the Guangdong Province of China. She was the only child of Alvin Woo and Sau Ping Woo. Her father, Alvin Woo, had previously immigrated to the United States and was working in Seattle. She and her mother, Sau Ping, lived in the Taishan area until 1954 where she went to middle school. In 1954, Jayne moved to the city of Guangzhou to start high school. Those were uncertain times in China, so, whenever possible, it was better to move to larger cities and eventually leave China. Her mother, Sau Ping, sensed that things were changing in China and urged her husband to start working on the process of immigration for them. In 1960, Jayne moved again to Hong Kong and finally, immigrated to Seattle in 1963.

Upon moving to Seattle, Jayne went to the Edison Technical School, located at the current location of Seattle Central Community College, to learn English and completed her US high school education. Jayne loved learning new things and was a quick learner. She worked hard and was proficient in English. After graduating, she started working at a bank in downtown Seattle. She had a strong attention to detail; therefore, the job was a natural fit for her.

Her father, Alvin Woo, was the manager at Hong Kong Restaurant and knew many people in the Chinatown community. He introduced Gan to Jayne. Gan opened the original Sun Ya Restaurant located on King Street in the International District. That same year, they got married and had a banquet of over 200 people at their new restaurant. Jayne enjoyed her experience at the bank, so for a period of year, she helped with the restaurant and worked at the bank. At the time, there were only a handful of Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, so business was good, and it led them to the next step of building a larger restaurant. Sun Ya relocated to their new location on 7th and Weller in 1975. Jayne and Gan owned and operated the restaurant until they retired in 1995.

Jayne met many friends during her time as a restaurant owner. They had a waterfront house on Mercer Island, and every year during Seafair, they would host friends and family at their house to view the Blue Angels. She was known and respected in the Chinatown community, and every year the restaurant would host a large Christmas party for employees and friends. She always treated her customers and employees like family. Her employees thought of her as a generous and understanding employer. Her friends knew of her as someone who was hard working, sharp, kindhearted and a loyal friend. Jayne was a loving wife to Gan and a wise mother figure to her goddaughter Sharon. She loved playing mahjong, watching Chinese movies and drama series, and eating and cooking delicious foods. Due to the demanding work and long hours of operating the restaurant, she had kidney issues and was a kidney transplant recipient. However, her doctors were always impressed with her fighting spirit and medical knowledge. Everyone who encountered her always remembered her warm smile and her way of making a personal connection.

She passed away on August 21, 2022, at the age of 81. She is survived by her husband, her goddaughter and family, and her relatives. She also has an aunt, a cousin, and his family in Seattle and three cousins and their families in Southern California.

To share your condolences and memories of Jayne with Friends and Family, please visit her Tribute Wall, located above.

~ Care & Arrangements Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Services - Lake View ~