Woo, Joanne
Joanne Woo’s family has a long history in Calgary, Alberta. Her paternal grandfather, Lim Soon, came to Canada in 1900. His wife, Mrs. Lim Soon Dayton (Wong Shee), arrived in 1923 on the last boat to bring Chinese immigrants to Canada before The Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 came into effect, bringing about the Exclusion Period (1923-1947). The family adopted the name Dayton, after the restaurant-turned-store they operated in Calgary. The Lim Daytons’ son, William, married Marguerite Lim Dayton (née Wong) in 1939. Marguerite was responsible for operating the family grocery business along with raising three children, including Joanne. Encouraged to pursue an education by her parents, Joanne entered Business College for secretarial training. She became the first secretary of the Board of Directors of the Sien Lok Society, and has remained active in the organization ever since.
In part two of a seven-part interview, Joanne Woo talks about her paternal grandparents, maternal grandparents, and her parents. Joanne’s paternal grandparents immigrated to British Columbia at the turn of the 20th century. Her maternal grandmother moved to Alberta in the early 20th century, as one of the first three Chinese women in the province. Joanne’s paternal grandmother was on the last boat of Chinese immigrants before The Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 was put into effect. Joanne’s grandparents worked together to run a family business, and raise their family.
Joanne’s father, William Lim Dayton, was born in China in 1911, and her mother, Marguerite Lim Da
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