Lee, Loretta
Loretta Lee’s family history in Canada dates back more than a century. Both her paternal and maternal grandmothers arrived in Calgary, Alberta, in the early 1900s as two of the first Chinese women to arrive in the city. Loretta’s mother, Nellie Ho Lem, was very active in her community as a member of the United Church and the Lady Laurier Club, a women’s organization for the Liberal Party. Loretta grew up in Calgary and in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, where the family lived for a number of years. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Loretta has actively pursued community work and has been a volunteer with the Sien Lok Society in Calgary since its inception.
This photo shows Loretta Lee (née Ho Lem) being presented to the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, J.J. Bowlen, at the 10th Annual Highlanders’ Debutante ball. Lt. Colonel Mary Dover (Order of the British Empire) stands to Loretta’s left. Loretta says that her selection as a debutante was an honour for both her parents and her Grandfather Ho Lem who, as one of the early Chinese Canadian pioneers, had helped strengthen ties between the Chinese community and other communities in Calgary, Alberta.
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