Every Sunday before Memorial Day, members of the Yee Hong Association gathered at a large section of Woodlawn Cemetery to honor ancestors and reconnect with the living. During the picnic, members of the Chinese community gathered to conduct an ancient Chinese ceremony, honoring the dead with prayers and tributes of food, joss sticks, and other ceremonial items. A picnic followed under a large tent, featuring roast pork and various Chinese delicacies.
In this 1988 Blade archive photo, David Young, left, and John Loo, pay their respects in front of the large monument that marks the section.
The Yee Hong Association was formed in 1943 to provide burial services and plots to members. The nonprofit organization also gave aid to immigrants and the elderly in the Chinese community.
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First Published May 29, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
