Christina Guat Lee Yeung

CHRISTINA GUAT-LEE YEUNG passed away peacefully at her home on Bainbridge Island on October 11, 2026. 

Christina was born on September 7, 1935, in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. She spent most of her childhood in Petaling Jaya, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur. She received her primary and secondary education at Catholic schools operated by the Good Shepherd Sisters. Inspired by the Sisters' dedication to education and their nurturing approach to teaching. Christina decided at an early age that she wanted to become a teacher herself.

In 1959, Christina was admitted to the Montessori Teacher Training Center in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), also operated by the Good Shepherd Sisters. In 1962, after completing her training and earning her certification as a Montessori teacher, she returned to Malaysia and joined the Malaysian International School in Kuala Lumpur, where she began her professional career in Montessori education.

Around that time, Christina met Paul Yeung through Catherine, a mutual friend in Malaysia. Catherine was a laboratory assistant who worked with Paul at Malaya Acid Works, where Paul was employed as a chemical engineer. Catherine’s older sister was Christina's high school classmate. Both Catherine and her sister were boarding with Christina's family at the time. Additionally, they all were parishioners of a small Catholic church in Petaling Jaya. Through these connections, Christina and Paul became friends, which was the start of their lifelong partnership together. They were married in August 1968 in Loughborough, England, and shared 58 years of marriage built on love, devotion, faith and family.

In 1965, Paul was awarded a research scholarship to continue his chemical engineering study at Loughborough University, England. Through her international contacts and reputation as a wonderfully competent teacher, Christina was offered a position at Little Flower Montessori School in New Jersey, U.S.A., the following year. For Christina, accepting the teaching position in New Jersey would enable her to be closer to Paul. That also happened to be Christina's beginning of a lifelong distinguished Montessori teaching career in the United States until her retirement in 2005 with Lone Oak Montessori School in Maryland.

Throughout her career, Christina received dozens of heartfelt letters from parents expressing their gratitude for the care, guidance, and confidence she instilled in their children. Many former students stayed in touch and wrote to her to thank her for the positive influence she had on their lives. These letters became treasured reminders of the difference she made as a teacher and mentor and stand as a testament to the lasting impact of her life's work.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Christina was a devoted wife to her husband, Paul, a loving mother to her son, Michael, and a cherished grandmother to Evan and Nicholas, who took considerable pride in caring for her family. She shared a particularly special bond with her grandsons, whom she adored wholeheartedly. She took great joy in their lives, celebrated their achievements, and cherished every opportunity to spend time with them. Her love, guidance, wisdom, and constant presence were gifts that will remain with them throughout their lives.

A faithful Catholic, Christina prayed daily and drew strength and comfort from her faith throughout her life. She remained thoughtful and concerned for the well-being of others and always put the needs of family and friends before her own, until her final day.

Christina will be remembered for her gentle spirit, unwavering faith, dedication to education, and boundless love for her family. Whether as a teacher nurturing young minds, a friend offering kindness and encouragement, or a grandmother showering her grandchildren with love, she touched the lives of all who knew her. The gratitude expressed in the many letters she received from parents and former students reflects the extraordinary difference she made in countless lives. Her legacy lives on in the children she inspired, the friendships she cultivated around the world, and the family she loved so deeply.

Arrangements are entrusted to Cook Family Funeral Home of Bainbridge Island, WA