# Lee Chin Koon

Lee Chin Koon (1 June 1903 – 12 October 1997) was a Singaporean storekeeper, manager, and salesman who was formerly employed with the Shell Oil Company. Prominently, he was also the father of Lee Kuan Yew and the paternal grandfather of Lee Hsien Loong, the first and third Prime Minister of Singapore respectively.

## Early life and career

Lee was born on 1 June 1903 in the port city of Semarang, Central Java, during Dutch colonial rule. He was from an upper-class family of Straits Chinese descent and was raised in an English-speaking household. His parents were Hakka-Peranakan Lee Hoon Leong (1871–1942) and Indonesian-Peranakan Ko Liem Nio (1883–1959).
His father, Lee Hoon Leong, worked as a pharmacist and later became a purser at Heap Eng Moh Shipping Line. His family later moved to Singapore when he was five, where he studied at St. Joseph's Institution.
During the Great Depression, Lee's family was affected but, in the 1930s, he managed to secure a job as a storekeeper for Shell Oil Company, later becoming a manager after World War II. He later worked at a shop at High Street, selling watches and jewellery.
In 1957, he helped his son Lee Kuan Yew campaign at the Tanjong Pagar by-election.

## Marriage and personal life

He married his wife Chua Jim Neo (1905–1980) on 20 May 1922 when he was 18 and she was 16 in a traditional Chinese arranged marriage by Chua's family. Together they had 5 children including the first Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew. In 1945, Lee and Chua bought a bungalow at 38 Oxley Road. Lee was a frequent gambler, usually being stood up by Chua when he went to gamble.
In 1959, after Lee Kuan Yew was elected Prime Minister, Lee led a mostly private life, having told a cousin, "I don't like publicity."

### Death

Lee died on 12 October 1997 at the age of 92. His wife had died in 1980.
Family tree of Lee Kuan Yew :
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Lee Bok Boon 1846–1920 | Lee Bok Boon 1846–1920 | Lee Bok Boon 1846–1920 | Lee Bok Boon 1846–1920 | | | Seow Huan Neo 1850–c. 1931 | Seow Huan Neo 1850–c. 1931 | Seow Huan Neo 1850–c. 1931 | Seow Huan Neo 1850–c. 1931 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Lee Hoon Leong 1871–1942 | Lee Hoon Leong 1871–1942 | Lee Hoon Leong 1871–1942 | Lee Hoon Leong 1871–1942 | Lee Hoon Leong 1871–1942 | Lee Hoon Leong 1871–1942 | | | Ko Liem Nio 1883–1959 | Ko Liem Nio 1883–1959 | Ko Liem Nio 1883–1959 | Ko Liem Nio 1883–1959 | Ko Liem Nio 1883–1959 | Ko Liem Nio 1883–1959 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Lee Chin Koon 1903–1997 | Lee Chin Koon 1903–1997 | Lee Chin Koon 1903–1997 | Lee Chin Koon 1903–1997 | Lee Chin Koon 1903–1997 | Lee Chin Koon 1903–1997 | | | Chua Jim Neo 1907–1980 | Chua Jim Neo 1907–1980 | Chua Jim Neo 1907–1980 | Chua Jim Neo 1907–1980 | Chua Jim Neo 1907–1980 | Chua Jim Neo 1907–1980 |
| Lee Kuan Yew 1923–2015 | Lee Kuan Yew 1923–2015 | Lee Kuan Yew 1923–2015 | Lee Kuan Yew 1923–2015 | Lee Kuan Yew 1923–2015 | Lee Kuan Yew 1923–2015 | Kwa Geok Choo 1920–2010 | Kwa Geok Choo 1920–2010 | Kwa Geok Choo 1920–2010 | Kwa Geok Choo 1920–2010 | Kwa Geok Choo 1920–2010 | Kwa Geok Choo 1920–2010 | Dennis Lee Kim Yew 1925–2003 | Dennis Lee Kim Yew 1925–2003 | Dennis Lee Kim Yew 1925–2003 | Dennis Lee Kim Yew 1925–2003 | Dennis Lee Kim Yew 1925–2003 | Dennis Lee Kim Yew 1925–2003 | Gloria Lee (Woo) Sau Yin 1926–2023 | Gloria Lee (Woo) Sau Yin 1926–2023 | Gloria Lee (Woo) Sau Yin 1926–2023 | Gloria Lee (Woo) Sau Yin 1926–2023 | Gloria Lee (Woo) Sau Yin 1926–2023 | Gloria Lee (Woo) Sau Yin 1926–2023 | Freddy Lee Thiam Yew 1927–2012 | Freddy Lee Thiam Yew 1927–2012 | Freddy Lee Thiam Yew 1927–2012 | Freddy Lee Thiam Yew 1927–2012 | Freddy Lee Thiam Yew 1927–2012 | Freddy Lee Thiam Yew 1927–2012 | Eleanor Ngo Puay Chin | Eleanor Ngo Puay Chin | Eleanor Ngo Puay Chin | Eleanor Ngo Puay Chin | Eleanor Ngo Puay Chin | Eleanor Ngo Puay Chin | Monica Lee Kim Mon b. 1929 or 1930 | Monica Lee Kim Mon b. 1929 or 1930 | Monica Lee Kim Mon b. 1929 or 1930 | Monica Lee Kim Mon b. 1929 or 1930 | Monica Lee Kim Mon b. 1929 or 1930 | Monica Lee Kim Mon b. 1929 or 1930 | | | George Chan Chor Cheung | George Chan Chor Cheung | George Chan Chor Cheung | George Chan Chor Cheung | George Chan Chor Cheung | George Chan Chor Cheung | | | Dr Lee Suan Yew b. 1933 | Dr Lee Suan Yew b. 1933 | Dr Lee Suan Yew b. 1933 | Dr Lee Suan Yew b. 1933 | Dr Lee Suan Yew b. 1933 | Dr Lee Suan Yew b. 1933 | | | Pamela Chong | Pamela Chong | Pamela Chong | Pamela Chong | Pamela Chong | Pamela Chong |
| Wong Ming Yang 1951–1982 | Wong Ming Yang 1951–1982 | Wong Ming Yang 1951–1982 | Wong Ming Yang 1951–1982 | Wong Ming Yang 1951–1982 | Wong Ming Yang 1951–1982 | | | | | | | Lee Hsien Loong b. 1952 | Lee Hsien Loong b. 1952 | Lee Hsien Loong b. 1952 | Lee Hsien Loong b. 1952 | Lee Hsien Loong b. 1952 | Lee Hsien Loong b. 1952 | Ho Ching b. 1953 | Ho Ching b. 1953 | Ho Ching b. 1953 | Ho Ching b. 1953 | Ho Ching b. 1953 | Ho Ching b. 1953 | Lee Wei Ling 1955–2024 | Lee Wei Ling 1955–2024 | Lee Wei Ling 1955–2024 | Lee Wei Ling 1955–2024 | Lee Wei Ling 1955–2024 | Lee Wei Ling 1955–2024 | Lee Hsien Yang b. 1957 | Lee Hsien Yang b. 1957 | Lee Hsien Yang b. 1957 | Lee Hsien Yang b. 1957 | Lee Hsien Yang b. 1957 | Lee Hsien Yang b. 1957 | Lim Suet Fern b. 1958 | Lim Suet Fern b. 1958 | Lim Suet Fern b. 1958 | Lim Suet Fern b. 1958 | Lim Suet Fern b. 1958 | Lim Suet Fern b. 1958 |
| Li Xiuqi b. 1981 | Li Xiuqi b. 1981 | Li Xiuqi b. 1981 | Li Xiuqi b. 1981 | Li Xiuqi b. 1981 | Li Xiuqi b. 1981 | Li Yipeng b. 1982 | Li Yipeng b. 1982 | Li Yipeng b. 1982 | Li Yipeng b. 1982 | Li Yipeng b. 1982 | Li Yipeng b. 1982 | Li Hongyi b. 1987 | Li Hongyi b. 1987 | Li Hongyi b. 1987 | Li Hongyi b. 1987 | Li Hongyi b. 1987 | Li Hongyi b. 1987 | Li Haoyi b. 1989 | Li Haoyi b. 1989 | Li Haoyi b. 1989 | Li Haoyi b. 1989 | Li Haoyi b. 1989 | Li Haoyi b. 1989 | Li Shengwu b. 1985 | Li Shengwu b. 1985 | Li Shengwu b. 1985 | Li Shengwu b. 1985 | Li Shengwu b. 1985 | Li Shengwu b. 1985 | Li Huanwu b. 1986 | Li Huanwu b. 1986 | Li Huanwu b. 1986 | Li Huanwu b. 1986 | Li Huanwu b. 1986 | Li Huanwu b. 1986 | Li Shaowu b. 1995 | Li Shaowu b. 1995 | Li Shaowu b. 1995 | Li Shaowu b. 1995 | Li Shaowu b. 1995 | Li Shaowu b. 1995 |