EULOGY BY GRANDDAUGHTER OF FORMER PRESIDENT WEE KIM WEE - LIM
HUI MIN
Weekend May 7, 2005
MY grandfather's achievements as an editor, a diplomat and a head
of
state are now the stuff of legend. You would have read all these
things
in the newspapers or watched them on television - he was a public
man.
What I should talk about is my grandfather as a family man. I
cannot
talk about my grandfather without also talking about my
grandmother. She
was the rock of his life. His last thoughts were of her. They
were
holding hands when he finally went to sleep on Monday
morning.
Last year, we celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary. After
dinner he
presented her with a red packet full of money, which he then
followed up
with a jewellery box - because my grandmother loves wearing
jewellery.
There was a jade brooch inside the box. And, in return, in front
of
everybody, she kissed him three times.
They were 87 and 88 at that time.
Once, (when) I was learning the piano, I thought I would learn
some
songs to play at my grandmother's birthday party. I asked my
grandfather
what songs he thought she would like. To my surprise he gave me
a
type-written sheet (with songs listed)in order of preference. He
was
always a busy man - he used to tell me that he had two million
things on
his mind. But at some point in his life, he had sat down and
thought
hard about what music my grandmother would enjoy and typed it all
out
and kept it in special folder ready to be whipped out at
anytime.
Husbands who are here today: Do you have a list of your wife's top
10
favourite songs in a folder? That's a lesson you can take from
my
grandfather.
They celebrated 69 years of marriage together in April this year.
I
thank my grandfather from the bottom of my heart for showing us
what it
really is like to love a person. I also thank my grandfather for
showing
us what it is to love life.
He was a man who enjoyed life. He collected snuff bottles, coins
and
stamps. He travelled the world; he played sports; he planted
fruit
trees; he loved the smell and taste of hazelnut coffee.
Whenever his grandchildren visited him in his office - whether at
the
Malaysian High Commission, the embassy in Tokyo, the Singapore
Broadcast
Corporation or the huge halls of the Istana - there would come
moments
when he would wink at us, open his desk drawer and say "have
a
chocolate".
Unknown to my grandmother, who disapproved of his snacking in
between
meals, he always kept a secret stash of Hawaiian hazelnut
chocolates,
which he ate out of her sight during office hours.
My grandfather loved animals as well. He liked to watch horses
running.
He liked dogs and cats and he liked fish. At the last count, his
house
contained 11 chickens, eight terrapins, two goldfish and one
dog.
Once, someone gave him six turkeys. I think the idea was for them
to be
fattened up and eaten. My grandfather looked at them and spoke to
them.
He gave them names. I remember my mother saying to me, "Oh no, he
has
given them names - we'll never get rid of them now". And so the
turkeys
were with us for quite some time.
But one day, they started irritating the chickens so my
grandfather
decided to find them a new home. The Singapore Zoo was chosen. When
the
family heard about this, of course we all joked that the turkeys
would
be fed to the crocodiles.
He was so alarmed by this that he made special arrangements with
the
zoo. They were to send him a written report every time a turkey
died.
The report had to state the cause of death and age of each
turkey.
That was the kind of man my grandfather was. He revered and
respected
life - even the life of an animal.
The stories of his life are, to me, all stories of love. If you
wish to
honour his memory in your life, then live your life to the full,
stand
by your friends, cherish your family, listen to everyone with an
open
mind and welcome those who cross your path with an open
heart.
He has gone on another journey now. We have spent the past five
days
saying goodbye to him and it is now the time to let him go.
From all your grandchildren and great grandchildren: I know you
love us
all so very much.
Goodbye gong gong (granddad). Goodbye.