PITTSFORD, NY – On May 17, 2022, Ying Suen “Bryan” Yee passed away peacefully at home at the age of 84. He leaves many loved ones to cherish his memory: his wife of 55 years, Emily Yee; son Dennis (and wife Nancy) Yee; daughter Tracy (and husband Daniel) Pierson; grandchildren Joanna, Kevin, Natasha, and Audrey; siblings Susan Mon, Ying Luen “Allan” Yee, Sue Lai, Robert Yee, Ying Kwong Yee, Ying Kam “Gim” Yee, and Ying Cheung Yee; and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Bryan, the eldest of eight children, was born in a small village of Guangzhou, China to the late Soo and Gean Kwong Yee. From an early age, he deeply valued education, attending school in both Guangzhou and Hong Kong — where he eventually switched to an English school — but due to World War II, he did not finish high school until he was 20 years old. Upon immigrating to the United States, Bryan repeated high school to improve his English. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the City College of New York, majoring in electronics, and then earned his master’s degree in physics from Michigan State University.
A faithful employee of Eastman Kodak for 31 years, Bryan was known for his loyalty, integrity, and generosity towards others. He had a fierce sense of fairness, always seeking to do what was right and never wanting to take advantage of a situation. His engineer’s mind never rested, and his desire to constantly learn was evidenced by the notes he’d take whenever reading one of the many non-fiction books and novels that he devoured in his lifetime. Bryan and Emily were early and active members of the Rochester Chinese Community Association, and he treasured the many friendships they formed over the years. In his retirement, he enjoyed volunteering at the Pittsford Public Library, playing bridge and mahjong with friends, staying active at the local JCC, cooking for others to enjoy (including his Cantonese-style lobster and secret recipe for sweet-and-sour pork), tending his backyard garden, and traveling around the world with Emily to visit with beloved friends and family.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to the American Lung Association ( lung.org/memorialgiving ).
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, May 27, 2022, from 2pm to 3:30pm at White Haven Memorial Park (210 Marsh Road, Pittsford, NY 14534). Please bring along a story or memory of Bryan to share; we’ll have a time for those who would like to publicly share their memory, as well as note cards for those who prefer to write down their memory to be privately shared with the family.