In Loving Memory of Raymond Lee

The Chinese American Museum of Chicago – Raymond B. and Jean T. Lee Center (CAMOC) is deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of the museum’s long-time supporter and major benefactor, Raymond B. Lee on August 31, 2025. Raymond and Jean, his wife of 63 years, are the namesakes of the museum.

The Lees were instrumental in the successful growth of Chicago’s Chinatown through their business ventures, community leadership and philanthropy. Their invaluable support extended to the museum from its inception in 2004, with the donation of the Quong Yick & Co. grocery store building given the stipulation that the museum open its doors within one year. Quong Yick, started by Raymond’s great grandfather, held special meaning for Raymond who immigrated to America from Guangdong, at the age of 15, and lived on the third floor for his first 10 years here.

The Lees’s love and generosity for CAMOC continued throughout the twenty years of its existence including a large residual contribution from the dissolution of the Chinese American Development Corporation (CADC) after completion of Chinatown Square. Most recently, a $2M restricted endowment fund was made in memory of Jean when she passed away in June of 2023.

In 2015, published by the museum, with the assistance of Chuimei Ho, one of the founders and first president of the Chinatown Museum Foundation, Raymond wrote his memoir, Growing Up in Chicago’s Chinatown: The Stories of Raymond Lee. A Chinese translation will be available in the near future.

Raymond worked seven days a week at Quong Yick through his teen and early college years at the University of Illinois. While it was expected for all Lee sons to carry on the family businesses, Raymond attended college which was the start of his independence and along with his unwavering sense of purpose, acute business acumen, and support from Jean, contributed to his success.

Raymond’s first business venture was the retail operations of Golden Country Oriental Foods which Jean spent every day working and managing for over 30 years. Expansion into the
wholesale business resulted in it becoming one of the largest importers of Asian, Oriental, Caribbean, and African food products in the US.

As president and chairman of the board of CADC, he fulfilled founder and close friend, Ping Tom’s mission of building Chinatown Square, the largest expansion of Chinatown.

As one of its founders and managing director of the Chinatown Parking Corporation (CPC) and partnering with Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce (CCCC), two parking lots were made accessible for the Chinatown business community, key to its thriving prosperity. Proceeds are also distributed back to community organizations every year, including CAMOC. As president of the CCCC, Raymond was responsible for Chinatown’s iconic Chinese Pagoda and Nine Dragon Wall, implementing new safety measures, and regular street cleaning, along with the first summer fair which has now become an annual event.

Raymond’s numerous roles included that in public office. As the Chicago Park District Commissioner and a member of the Board of Education, he procured funds to build Ping Tom Park and completely renovate the 100-year old Haines School, his alma mater.

An elder with the Lee Family Association, Raymond also served as an officer on the board and was a board member of the Chinese American Service League.

Raymond has been recognized with numerous awards including the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, the 2023 Community Visionary Award from the Chinatown Museum Foundation, the 2012 Outstanding Community Leader Award from the Chicago Cultural Alliance, the 2012 Pan Asian American Ping Tom Memorial Award from the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and the Asian American Coalition of Chicago, the 2010 Philanthropic Award by the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, and the Chicago Senior Citizen Hall of Fame, Luminary Award in 2007.

The CMF family will be forever indebted to the generosity and foresight of Raymond Lee who along with his wife, Jean, have left a lasting legacy for the Chinese American community as well as for CAMOC. Our deepest condolences go to his family.

The wake will be held at Dalcamo Funeral Home, Friday, September 12, from 3 – 8 p.m. Services will be held Saturday, September 13th at Chinese Christian Union Church at 10 a.m.
Further information can be found here:
https://www.dalcamofuneralhome.com/obituary/Raymond-Lee