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.
In part five of a seven-part interview, Loretta Lee describes her marriage and family life. Loretta explains that she met her husband through friends, and her wedding was a traditional church wedding with Chinese touches. She had three children, and she describes their accomplishments with pride. Loretta worked for the Alberta provincial government as a social worker before she had children, and though she did not feel there was any discrimination, she acknowledges that she was the only visible minority employee. Loretta describes her active social life, participating in the United Church and the Sien Lok Society of Calgary, Alberta.
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