Janet Lim Eng

Janet Lim Eng, 86, longtime Moses Lake resident, passed away Monday, July 24 at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee. Memorial services will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, July 28, at Immanuel Lutheran Church with Pastor David Daugs officiating. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel of Memories, Moses Lake.

Janet was born Aug. 23, 1919 in Canton, China to the late Tong Foo Lim and Shee Lim. Due to strict immigration laws, Janet was left in China to be raised by her grandmother when her parents moved to the United States. Her life in China was a hard one with poverty and the war leaving an impact. Through all of this, Janet developed a deep sense of practicality and the will to do whatever it took to take care of her family.

Janet married Jack Eng on Nov. 21, 1935 in China. They were introduced by family in the time-honored Chinese manner. After the wedding, Jack returned to America and started working on the long immigration process to bring Janet to her new homeland. However, World War II intervened. It was not until 1948 that they were reunited. They settled in Pullman where Jack went back to work at the Oriental Restaurant. Janet stayed home and gave birth to two sons — Philip and Richard. The family moved to Moses Lake in 1951 when Jack opened Elmer's Restaurant in partnership with George Schuster.

Daughter Phyllis was born in Moses Lake in 1953. Brian and Alan joined the family in 1967. The center of Janet's life was her family — children, husband and her extended family wherever they might be. She was very traditional in that sense. Traveling to visit "family" was considered necessary while traveling for strictly pleasure was unimportant. Grand children were an exceptional treat in her life. Stacie and Denise lived next door and they had a special relationship with grandma. The best times in her life were when any of her grandchildren visited. Janet will always be remembered for her loving and caring devotion to her family. She also shared love and devotion with her dog Sophie.

Janet's favorite hobby was gardening, though it was not a hobby in the traditional sense. Her upbringing also made her garden a source of food and she found great satisfaction from the fruits of her labor. She was also the perfect mate for a sportsman (as Jack was). She eagerly cleaned and prepared the fish and game he brought home. And Janet delighted in sharing their bounty with friends and relatives. Visitors always left with bags of food!

Survivors include four children: Philip and his wife Judy and their children, Alison and Jeffrey; Phyllis Hirai and her husband Alan and their children, Stacie and Denise; Brian and his wife Meisy and their children, Jason, Jeremiah and Justin; and Alan and his wife Melanie and their children, Matthew and Megan.

Aside from her parents, Janet was preceded in death by her husband Jack in 2001 and their son Richard in 1988.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests Memorials be made to the Rotary Foundation, 1560 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL 60201.