The William Lang Yip Memorial Fund was created by the Yip family to honour a husband, father and grandfather, a brother and son.
Born in 1938 in southern China, Bill passed away on October 26, 2010 in Montreal. His happiest childhood memories came from living with a large extended family in Hong Kong and Guangdong, China following World War II. The repeal of Canada’s Chinese Exclusion Act allowed the family to finally immigrate to Saskatoon in 1950 to join Bill’s father after a decades-long separation. In the summer of 1967, Bill went to Montreal for Expo 67, and stayed for Réjeanne Hébert. They married shortly after. In the ensuing years, they with their two daughters, Andrea and Melissa, shuttled back and forth between Saskatoon and Montreal, eventually settling in Montreal in 1986. There, Bill worked for Domco as an accountant/comptroller.
Bill possessed a wide-ranging and self-taught knowledge of classical music, jazz, art, architecture, history and culture. A multifaceted and complex man, he was sometimes introspective and philosophical, preferring to stay at home and read, or perhaps dream about his next travel adventure. At other times, he enjoyed playing cards, billiards or tennis with family members. Those close to him benefited from Bill’s exceptional culinary skills, and from his laughter, which was infectious. But his most admirable qualities were his exceeding kindness, generosity and concern for others. In the last months of his life, his pride and joy were his twin granddaughters Gaia and Felicia, born to Melissa and husband Bart in April of 2010.
Although he was by nature a carefree romantic, Bill made great personal sacrifices in later years, leaving his home in Montreal to spend a greater part of each year in Saskatoon to tend to his father’s business. Eventually, he played a major role in the care of his elderly parents, David and Jean, allowing them to remain in their own home until nursing home placement became inevitable. He fulfilled their every need and whim with grace, respect and kindness and with a degree of patience that none of his siblings – Suzanne, Yvonne and Raymond – could ever muster.
The family feels forever indebted to Bill for his spirit, caring and generosity. To support those passions and causes close to his heart, they have created this fund in his memory, a complement to two other Saskatoon Community Foundation family funds.