Vale: RICHARD SEE KEE

Tuesday, 19 December 2006 02:37

Richard was born on Thursday Island on February 5, 1933, to Arthur and Linda See Kee.  He was the eldest brother to Karl (deceased), Gary, Anthony, Shirley, Francis, John and Winston. From the age of five years to 16 he grew up in Hong Kong where his family had gone for a holiday and ended up staying for 11 years, unable to return to TI due to World War II.Richard was a brilliant student from a young age, learning to read and write Chinese and later being offered a Scholarship to study medicine. He declined the scholarship in order to return to TI to work for the family business, Arthur See Kee & Sons, to help support the family.
This was the start of a long and varied working life as a baker, builder, mailman, pearl diver, market gardener, woodchopper, taxi driver, shopkeeper and eventually resort owner/manager. This left him little time for leisure. He was also a very generous man helping many people in need and even being a translator for Taiwanese boat people.
Eventually he decided it was time to settle down. He went to Hong Kong where he met Fay Yu. They were married on June 17, 1965. Returning to TI Richard continued to work in the family business until he started his own business, R & F Self Service.  In 1972 Richard and Fay’s eldest son Liberty was born, and in 1974 they had their second son, Silva.
In 1992 he decided to branch out into the hospitality market and commenced building the Horn Island Gateway Resort. The Resort opened for business in 1993 and was very popular with the weekend Karaoke evenings. Many people would catch the ferry over from TI to enjoy the evenings.
Since then he has added a museum to the resort, that highlights the Torres Strait involvement in WWII and also the pearling heritage of the Torres Strait. Richard spent many years as a pearl diver, diving in many areas of the Torres Strait.
This had a very strong impact on his working life, instilling in him a lifetime of excellent work ethics.
Richard also loved music, and wrote the song Ballerina, recently revised and sung by his nephew Wayne. He could play a harmonica, guitar, ukulele and accordion.
Richard was very well known throughout the Torres Strait, with many people having worked with him, or for him over the years. He is held in high esteem by the elders of the Torres Strait and was respectful of the local culture and protocols.
Richard is survived by his wife, Fay, sons Liberty and Silva, daughters-in-law Vanessa and Sook Hahn, granddaughters Morgan and Mason.

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