Shau (Jack) Chan, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, and friend to many, on the evening of Dec. 10, 2024, passed on to be in the presence of our Heavenly Father. He was 93.
Jack Chan, born Lew, was born in May 1932 in Chiar Long village in Toisan County, Guangdong, China. While his father Lin Dot worked in California and sent money home to support his family, Jack was raised and doted on by his mother Kiu Ying and extended family. However, his early years were full of uncertainty. His homeland had been invaded, there was lack of food, and he was often sick, giving him fewer opportunities to play as a typical boy. Indeed, Jack would have perished from a local epidemic before his teen years, but by God’s Grace, he was treated and made well by a family friend, Dr. Lee, who had studied medicine in Germany.
Upon reaching the age of 16, it was the custom that Jack also support the family. The opportunity came on Feb. 1, 1948 as he emigrated to “Gold Mountain” just as his father did to find work. His first job was as a dishwasher in Oakland Chinatown at the Eastern Restaurant, which later in life it was realized through a PBS documentary, that the owner of said restaurant was the father of Ben Fong-Torres, the famous Rolling Stones magazine writer! When summer came that year, he took a job as a farm worker in Vacaville and became a valuable employee, one reason being he was the only one who had a driver’s license to transport workers!
In those early years, Jack’s grand-uncle and grand-aunt, Hubert and Helen, truly took him under their wings. He worked at Uncle Hubert’s parking garage near Columbus and Montgomery in San Francisco. Jack next took a job at Aunt Helen’s brother’s restaurant, the Golden Dragon, in Palo Alto, starting as a dishwasher. Soon enough Jack “graduated” to being one of the cooks, thus the beginning of his passion for food and cooking. He worked there from 1950-57, learning the trade of being a restaurateur, and setting his sights on opening his own restaurant. Although his first attempt to run his own Chinese restaurant did not work out, God had much better plans in store for him. He would meet the love of his life, Nancy.
While intending to go back to the Golden Dragon in 1959, Jack’s mother (who in 1955 was able to join her husband in San Francisco) mentioned to him, “I have a coworker whose younger sister is emigrating to Columbia, but she’ll be passing through to visit her sister. Since you’re free, why don’t you show her around?” Each morning, Jack would be at Nancy’s doorstep ready to enjoy the day with her and Nancy was impressed with his commitment to her. Seeing a life-long future together, Jack and Nancy were married in Barranquilla, Columbia on Feb. 16, 1960. They were together for over 64 years.
Living in the Bay Area, Jack and Nancy had two sons, John, then Joseph. Encouraged by a family friend, in 1962 Jack moved his young family to Goleta, CA. Then in 1963, the couple opened the first dine-in Chinese restaurant in Goleta,
the Hong Kong Restaurant which was located in Old Town. During that time children Michael, Sandy, and Donald were born, completing the family. Hong Kong Restaurant was open until 1980. Because many customers missed his food, in 1982 Jack opened Golden Garden Cafe in the Fairview Shopping Center that is now part of the Fairview Theater. He could cook traditional Chinese as well as popular American food. Subsequent to 1984, he was a chef at the local Holiday Inn until his retirement around 1990.
In retirement, Jack loved tending to his fruit trees. He enjoyed watching sports and news on television. With relatives and friends he relished sharing good meals and conversation. Of course, he looked forward to spending time with his 7 grandchildren. He fell in love with taking cruises with all 17 of the family, to places such as Mexico, the Caribbean, and Alaska. The only time he used his computer was to look for cruise deals for the next family trip!
Jack was the last of the Lew family who knew the oral history of his antecedents coming to America with both its trials and successes. He wanted his family to understand the sacrifices his forebearers took for the following generations.
Jack himself worked hard and sacrificed much to provide for his family. He achieved much just having a 6th grade education. He appreciated the United States, getting his citizenship on Feb. 28, 1950. But looking back at his own life, Jack knew that God had blessed him and watched over him. He understood the love and sacrifice of Christ and the hope of eternity. He passes on his legacy and the faith that he had.
Jack is survived by his wife Nancy (Chinese name: Shew Hon); five children and their families:
- 1st son: John
- 2nd son: Joseph, daughter-in-law Ching; grandchildren: Joshua, Evan, Sarah
- 3rd son: Michael, grandchildren: Meigan, Luke
- 1st daughter: Sandy, son-in-law Ron; grandchildren: Brandon, Eric
- 4th son: Donald
He now joins the heavenly host with his parents and Michael’s wife, Victoria Geen Lew.
He will be greatly missed until we meet again in the presence of Jesus.
A service celebrating Jack’s life will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, at Cypress Lawn Mortuary and Cemetery (Colma, CA) in the Tiffany Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Chinese Evangelical Free Church of Santa Barbara
