Kwa Siew Tee and family (Choa Chu Kang Christian Cemetery)

Kwa Siew Tee, a Semarang born Chinese was a Municipal Commissioner (an appointment he held till 1949). He was also the General Manager of Overseas Chinese Bank Corporation Limited, Assistant General Manager of The Eastern United Assurance Corporation, Limited and a Member of the Hospital Board. He received a Certificate of Honour in 1951.

Kwa Siew Tee passed away at the age of 89 on 20 March 1977. 

Group photo of the founding of Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation in 1932
Kwa Siew Tee is standing behind.  (source: National Archives of Singapore)

Family

Kwa Siew Tee and family 
(source: National Archives of Singapore)

Wife: Madam Wee Yew Neo

Madam Wee Yew Neo is the daughter of Wee Theam Seng. She passed away on 14 May1980. She is survived by;

3 sons: Kwa Soon Siew, Kwa Soon Chuan, Kwa Soon Bee 

4 daughters: Kwa Geok Neo, Kwa Geok Lan, Kwa Geok Choo, Kwa Geok Eng.

Son: Kwa Soon Hock 

Kwa Soon Hock is the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Kwa Siew Tee. He was a staff of the Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation, Ltd. He passed away at No 236 Pasir Panjang Road on 28 July1936. 

Son: Kwa Soon Chuan 

Kwa Soon Chuan, fourth son of Mr Kwa Siew Tee in 1949 got engaged with Ivy Lim Seok Cheng (second daughter of Mr Lim Chong Pang). Kwa Soo Chuan retired after 26 years of government service at the age of 55 in 1977. He was educated in Anglo-Chinese School and Raffles College. He was the first local appointed to the then Colonial Administration in 1950. He went through many posting including the Land Office, acting collector of Land Revenue, Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Social Affairs, Permanent Secretary (Labour) and finally Permanent Secretary (Culture).

Kwa Soon Chuan

Son: Kwa Soon Bee
Kwa Soon Bee was born in 1930. After graduating from the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore he joined the civil service as a medical officer and later medical director at Singapore General Hospital. He retied from public service in 1996 as permanent secretary for health and director of medical services. He was the first Singapore doctor to specialise in haematology (study of blood disorders).

Sister: Kwa Geok Neo  /Mrs. Cheah Heng Sin (10 November 1914 -29 June 2012)

Kwa Geok Neo married Cheah Heng Sin 

Kwa Geok Neo and Cheang Heng Sin 

Sister: Kwa Geok Lan (Mrs Yong Nyak Lin )
Miss Kwa Geok Lan married Mr. Yong Nyak Lin (son of Mr Yong Tian Yong and late Mrs Yong Tian Yong in September 1939. The wedding and reception took place at 179 Pasir Panjang Road and Mr. Yong Yoon Choi was the best man and the bridesmaid was Miss Kwa Geok Neo. 

MissKwa Geok Lan and Mr Yong Nyak Lai

Sister: Kwa Geok Choo (Mrs. Lee Kuan Yew)
Miss Kwa Geok Choo is the third daughter of Mr and Mrs Kwa Geok Choo. She married Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, the eldest son of Mr. Lee Chin Koon in 1950. Madam Kwa Geok Choo graduated from Raffles College in 1947 with first class honors in Arts Diploma and was awarded the Queen's scholarship. She later passed her professional bar at Cambridge in 1950. Both Kwa Geok Choo and Lee Kuan Yew made legal history for being the first husband and wife team to be admitted to Singapore's colony bar.

Miss Kwa Geok Choo and Mr Lee Kuan Yew

[research on-going]

Location of tomb 

Kwa Siew Tee and Wee Yew Neo are buried side by side at Choa Chu Kang Christian Cemetery.

Kwa Soew Tee and Madam Wee Yew Neo

References

Photographic Show. (1935, February 28). The Singapore Free Press
Untitled. (1935, March 28).The Straits Times
Domestic Occurrences. (1936, July 28). The Straits Times
The Lee's make legal history. (1951, August 8). The Straits Times
Soo Chuan to retire after 26 years. (1977, January 5). The Straits Times
Untitled. (1980, May 15). The Straits Times