For those of us who knew him, George Lee was unforgettable and one of life’s character. I first met George in 1975 at the meeting held at the Golden Dragon to organize what would eventually become SCCLA. With his quick smile and even quicker wit, George could have been a stand-up comic. He was a natural-born comedian, and served as M.C. of the early SCCLA installations. His monologues were hilarious and had people roaring with laughter.

George loved to make people laugh. Al Lum recalls a joke played on him by George. At the first SCCLA installation, after Al was sworn in as president, George had the band strike up “Hail to the Chief.” George was the first SCCLA secretary, and he would frequently tell Al that as secretary he would shave his legs. In a reference to the frugality of Chinese people, I remember George joking at one of the installations that our favorite restaurant was “Ma Don Low” (McDonald’s).

George was born in 1924, and grew up in San Mateo. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he attended law school at USF. George moved to Los Angeles and in 1953 opened a law office at the corner of 9th and San Pedro, next to the New Moon Restaurant. During George’s term as president, we would hold our monthly general meetings at the New Moon.

George maintained his office at 9th and San Pedro for over 30 years, specializing in immigration law. The office was humble and unpretentious. George’s sister served as his secretary. The office was so humble that George often remarked that he needed a Green Card to go to Beverly Hills. To emphasize how simple his office was, George would haltingly announce the downtown address of Al’s office as “3 . . . 3 . . . 3 . . . South . . . Hope . . . Street.” George’s office was located near the downtown produce market, and shared a common parking lot with the New Moon. David Woo recalls that the parking arrangement made it convenient for people to “get take-out Chinese food or take-out legal advise.”

George was also dedicated to SCCLA. Ron Lew, who was president-elect during George’s term, credits him with getting more people with SCCLA. Ron said, “He was an encourager and a humble individual dedicated to the welfare of Chinese lawyers. I was one of the people encouraged by George. He asked me to serve as the association secretary during his term, with the condition that I shave my legs. George also encouraged Bruce Hoffman, the present Alternate Public Defender, to be a founding member of SCCLA. Bruce saw George as “a people’s lawyer dedicated to helping anyone who needed assistance.” The two became friends when George sold his Silverlake house with a tennis court to Bruce, retaining the right to use the tennis court. “Little did I know that I would have a tennis partner for life when I bought George’s house,” recalled Bruce.

When George passed away in 1985, there was less laughter in the world, and SCCLA lost one of its most dedicated members.