Yat Kong Lam

Yat Kong Lam was born on April 11, 1939 and passed from this life on August 27, 2018. Yat is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mee Wan Lam; children, Grace Carr and husband Claude of Tulsa, Okla., Marion Roller and husband David of Rogers, Ark., Sandra Nichols and husband Alan from Milton, GA, and Gloria Young and husband Paul from Gambrills, Md.; grandchildren, Jason Roller, Elizabeth Roller, Daniel Nichols, Amber Young, Lauren Young, Audrey Nichols, Samuel Carr, and Matthew Nichols; and his brother, Goodrich Lam. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, and grandfather. He was born in Guangdong (Canton), China during WWII and moved to Hong Kong when he was 10 years old. He met his future wife, Mee Wan, in middle school. They would both go to Australia for college, work, get married, and have three daughters. In 1966, they immigrated to Manhattan, N.Y. to reunite with family. Yat worked long hours in restaurants. In 1968, He opened their first restaurant in Woodmere, N.Y. He enjoyed being an entrepreneur and small business owner there for 10 years. During that time, he and his family became US citizens and had a 4th daughter. In 1978, becoming restless with New York and looking for new opportunities, Yat visited a good friend in Northwest Arkansas who helped him find a market for Chinese restaurants in that area. He moved the family to Rogers, Arkansas and went on to own and operate four restaurants and taught culinary classes at a local college. He built long lasting friendships with neighbors, customers, and the community for the next 20 years. After 30+ years in the restaurant business, Yat sold his businesses and retired with Mee to warm Cape Coral, Florida. They have lived there for 22 years. A visitation will be held 9/8/2018 from 10 a.m. to noon at Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park, 12777 State Road 82, Fort Myers, Fla. 33913 with a funeral service to follow. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.leememorialpark.com for the Lam family.