Celebrating the Life of a Friend - Vincent Lee

The WhatsApp message bearing the news of Vincent Lee’s passing came as a great shock to me. It was completely unexpected, arriving just two hours after his passing at 6:30 p.m. on Monday evening, 20 October 2025.

At the funeral parlour on 22 October 2025, we learned more about the circumstances surrounding his sudden departure. Just six months earlier, Vincent had been diagnosed with cancer in the nasal area. He underwent surgery to remove the cancerous cells, followed by a series of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. However, complications arose during his recovery - due to the need for assisted feeding through a tube. He later suffered a stroke, and eventually developed a blood clot, which became a key factor leading to his untimely passing.

Tribute by Yun Fon and son, Amos during the memorial service conducted at BCCM KK at 9.00am on 23 October 2025 just before his burial.

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I would say our friendship began in 2007 when Vincent and his soon-to-be wife, Yun Fon, signed up for the Marriage Preparation Course prior to their wedding. Years later, after the birth of their only child, Amos, the couple once again joined a Marriage Enrichment Course organised by BCCM KK (E) in September/October 2013, where my wife and I served as facilitators. Through these encounters, a bond of friendship quietly took root and continued to grow.

Group photo of participants at the "graduation" of the Marriage Enrichment Course held on 10 October 2013. Vincent is standing fourth from the right, with his wife seated directly in front of him.

Our friendship blossomed further when a group of like-minded friends started the yamcha sessions in 2017. Held faithfully every Sunday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Kedai Kopi Chakitiam, the informal gatherings became a space where anyone who wished to chat or share stories was warmly welcomed. Most of the participants were our cell group members and fellow churchgoers from BCCM KK (E).

Vincent, being a regular attendee, was among the most sociable of us all. He had a natural gift for conversation and a genuine interest in people. Through his lively storytelling and openness, we came to know much about his life, his experiences, his unwavering Christian faith and his family.

He came from humble beginnings and spent much of his childhood with his father in Tawau after his parents separated. Despite the challenges and the lack of a tertiary education, he built a successful career in marketing and sales through sheer determination and hard work. Even after retiring at sixty, his passion for work never waned - he was re-engaged as a sales executive for earthmoving heavy machinery and continued working almost to the very end of his life.

He was a gifted storyteller, with an inexhaustible trove of tales drawn from his life’s journey. One story he often loved to recount was how his marriage to Yun Fon came about - a union he always described as a divine intervention. In his younger days, when he was still uncertain about whom to marry, he once had a vivid dream in which Yun Fon’s image appeared clearly before him. That vision, he would say, was the sign he needed - the moment he knew she was the one destined for him.

He was a generous and selfless man, always ready to lend a helping hand wherever there was a need. Among his many charitable deeds, he faithfully volunteered as a van driver every Saturday, ferrying children to and from the weekly Praise Kids meetings. In addition, he served diligently in the Welcoming Ministry, greeting churchgoers with his warm smile and kind words at the entrance of the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Worship Service at Kyrugma House. His quiet acts of service reflected his heart of compassion and genuine love for people.

Yamcha session at Kedai Kopi Chakitiam on 30 July 2017.

Once in a while, Vincent would bring along his son, Amos, to join our yamcha sessions. This photo was taken on 15 October 2017, when Amos was just nine years old.

7 January 2018

19 August 2018

A rare occasion of yamcha on 2 September 2018 which was joined by my wife; Catherine, the wife of Joseph and Jessie, the wife of Kah Fah. (Joseph is not in photo because he was the photographer).

5 May 2019.

Occasionally, I would receive calls from him at my office, inviting me to join him for a cup of coffee whenever he was nearby. This photo was taken on 15 June 2020 at Kedai Kopi Chakitiam, during the partial lifting of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vincent joined in the joyous celebration of Joseph’s graduation from Sabah Theological Seminary on 9 November 2019. Joseph had successfully completed his part-time course, and the occasion marked a proud milestone in his journey of faith and learning.

Although Vincent was not a member of our Cell Group, he often made a deliberate effort to join some of our gatherings and stay connected with us. One such occasion was our CG Christmas Pot-Bless Lunch on 18 December 2023, where he came to share in the fellowship, joy, and festive spirit of the season.

At the fundraising dinner for Jireh Home, Tuaran, held at the Putra Ballroom on 19 January 2024, we extended our invitation to both Vincent and Yun Fon, along with several other close friends. It was a meaningful evening of fellowship. My youngest brother, Tet Ying was not in the photo because he was the photographer.

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Kedai Kopi Chakitiam at Damai Plaza Phase 4 was once our favourite spot for regular Sunday afternoon yamcha sessions, where laughter and lively conversations flowed freely over cups of local coffee. Unfortunately, the outlet ceased operations soon after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. Undeterred, our group found a new gathering place at Kedai Kopi Gunung Emas in Borneon, continuing the cherished tradition of fellowship and friendship over coffee.

Yamcha session at Kedai Gunung Amas on 5 May 2024.

Having spent seventy meaningful years on this earth, Vincent truly made a difference in the lives of many who crossed his path. He will be fondly remembered for his warmth, kindness, and cheerful presence - especially by his yamcha buddies, with whom he shared countless moments of laughter, stories, and friendship.