Funeral services for William (Bill) Hong Yee, 87, of Leland will be at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, November 8, 2014 at First Baptist Church, Leland. He died Monday, November 3, 2014 at his home with his wife of 20 years by his side . Burial will be in Greenville Chinese Cemetery under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Leland.
He was born on July 11, 1927 to the late Ong Shee and Quong Yee of Sun Ling Village, Toy Sun County, China. He immigrated to America at the age of 12 and attended school in Detroit, Michigan. Shortly afterwards, he moved to Leland to work in his family’s grocery business. During World War II, Bill served in the Navy aboard the U.S.S. McCaffrey. He later became co-owner of the Leland Food Market with his father and his brothers Kin and Danny.
In 1952 he married Mary Joe of New Orleans, Louisiana. He and his brothers Harry and Kin opened the Stop N’ Shop grocery in 1956. A few years later he and Mary became sole owners. They operated the business for 30 years. During that time they tripled its size until it became one of the largest groceries in Leland. He retired in Leland in 1989 and in 1994 he married Blanche Bing Rester of Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Bill was an avid fisherman with a particular fondness for catching bass. His love of fishing was surpassed only by his love and devotion to his family. He was also a talented sketch artist and calligrapher.
He was preceeded in death by his parents, his first wife, his brothers Harry, Kin and Danny, and his sisters May Fong and May Kim.
He is survived by his second wife, his children Laura Yee (Greg Klunder) of Oakland, CA and Kevin Yee (Ilene) of Cordova, TN; step-daughters Rosalee Rester of Portland, OR and Karen Rester of Brooklyn NY; and grandchildren Steven Yee of Cordova, TN, William and David Klunder of Oakland, CA and Ava and Atticus Frost of Portland, OR.
There will be a visitation one hour prior to services at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 286, Leland, MS 38756.