Lasting Memories

Doris Hope Yep
April 14, 1917-May 17, 2014
Palo Alto, California

Doris Hope Yep, born in Palo Alto on April 14, 1917, died at her home on May 17 due to complications from a stroke.

Beloved by her large extended family and many friends, a Service of Thanksgiving was celebrated in her memory at the Chapel at Alta Mesa Cemetery led by Reverend Terry Gleeson of All Saints Episcopal Church, where Doris and her family have worshiped since the family settled in Palo Alto over 100 years ago.

Doris was known for her positive outlook, genuine care for others, willingness to help anyone, welcoming smile and amazing will to live independently up until the week before her death.

Despite living most of her 97 years in Palo Alto, Doris fulfilled her love of travel by visiting numerous countries and many areas of the United States. For many decades she loved family vacations that included her siblings, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that took her to the Hawaiian Islands and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Doris volunteered for various organizations such as the Square and Circle Club in San Francisco and for the past four decades with the Chinese Community Center of the Peninsula (CCCP). Up to a few years ago, she could be found at the CCCP's senior lunch events ... as a server.

Doris was born in the family home on Emerson Street to Jew Ngum You and his wife Rose Tong Jew. Their family would eventually include nine children. She helped take care of her siblings and worked at the family's laundry. She graduated from Palo Alto High School and San Jose State University.

After college, she moved to San Francisco to work and would meet her future husband, George, at the 1939 World's Fair. They married in 1942 and lived in Stockton for a few years before returning to Palo Alto in the mid-1940s to open their business.

For many years, she and her late husband owned The Bamboo, a Chinese restaurant originally located downtown at Waverley Street and Hamilton Avenue, and later on University Avenue in East Palo Alto. In addition, Doris worked in various administrative positions with the U.S. Navy, Phelps-Terkel clothing store in Palo Alto, Western Medical Enterprises, and Hawaii and San Francisco Development Company. She finally retired at age 90. After her retirement, she would occasionally help out at Maximart Pharmacy in Palo Alto, which is owned by her daughter and son-in-law.

Doris and George built a house in the midtown area of Palo Alto and that is where she peacefully passed away surrounded by four generations of family.

Doris, also known as Dodo, is survived by two children, Robin Kwong (husband Ben) of Cupertino, and Richard Yep (wife Mona) of Alexandria, Virginia; grandchildren, Jennifer Kwong Piert (husband Steven) of Santa Clara, and Dylan Yep of New York, New York; and great-grandchildren, Ryan and Will Piert. She is also survived by her sisters, Mary Jane Toy of Albany, California, and Barbara Ann Lee of San Francisco, along with numerous nieces and nephews.