Peter was the loving and devoted "brother" I never knew I had until well into adolescence and my own journey into adulthood and cultural understanding. His older sister, Mona, was the eldest in our sibline of three, all adopted and each abandoned in unique fashion. We were lovingly raised by an emotionally expressive, domineering but well-intentioned mother and stereotypical silent, protective, and inspirational father who only expressed his deep thoughts after visiting with Johnny Walker each night. We were integrated into a huge extended family. Unfortunately the relationships have proved even more extensive, varied, and far flung as "family secrets" are finally removed by attendees at memorial services, etc. It is likely difficult to be an Hyphenated anything but, IMO, to be a hyphenated American or Canadian is most difficult of all due to the privileged lives we have by virtue of geography and politics. Hopefully our children will never experience the hunger, loss of identity and possessions, and dependence on strangers for basic life needs that our parents endured due to war and magnified by the death of birth parents. Peter introduced us to Adam, and then to Grace, the life-partner that God had intended for him., Baby Andrea was a later blessing. Peter was always loyal to family, whether by blood or circumstance, and always far too generous in demonstrating how much he valued our relationships. He was humble, soft-spoken, and his actions spoke of the values he kept in his heart and soul. We had another Yan relative who was briefly a celebrity chef with books and a t.v. show. I am sure that Peter would have preceded him given opportunities and requisite introductions. The typical greeting for Chinese from Canton (now Guangdong region) was "Have you eaten rice yet?" Our first visit to Portland included a Prime Rib dinner with exquisite gravy, my first ever Yorkshire pudding with crisp exterior and pudding-soft interior and home-made apple pie. Back then the drive from Vancouver took almost 7 hours but Peter and Grace had prepared and we returned with thoughtful gifts as well. In later years the Yips were very proud of their children but lacked the vocabulary and perhaps the intention of boasting. Adam mirrored Peter with an ever-present smile but added a mischievous glint underneath. Adam loved sports, learned discipline from Grace and I would bet has passed on many life-lessons to his students as learned under the tutelage of his parents. I know less about Andrea due to the age differences but she is likely to value family above all and will ensure that her mother and brother are never lonely. The Yips, in all of the best traditions and stereotypes, are the All-American Family. Despite a lack of formal education Peter learned the important lessons well and exemplifies the best of both Chinese and American values. Please know that I grieve this loss with each of you. I can picture him enjoying the treasures above, perhaps peeking into the many rooms, and choosing the smallest and simplest for himself. I envision Peter looking over the food in these early days and thinking of ways to enrich and expand the menu. That is what I will remember Peter for, for the many ways he quietly enriched our lives, making things better, and never asking for anything in return.

Posted by Dr. Allan P.G. Wong on July 12, 2020

What an amazing man Pete was! I met Pete working at Drangon’s Eye restaurant when I was 10 years old. He was a lovely man and a great father to his children. The one thing that always stood out was the smile on his face. No matter what, he always had a smile on his face with laughter behind it that would make your heart want to melt. A great cook, a loving dad that took care of his family and had of heart of gold. Pete, we will miss you and we have lots of memories that will carry us through life until we meet again. Rest In Peace, Pete! Terry

Posted by Terry Lopez on July 11, 2020