Lee Shau-kee Funeral: Family ‘could Not Bear To Say Goodbye’ To Hong Kong Titan

The son of late Hong Kong tycoon Lee Shau-kee has said the family “could not bear to say goodbye” to his father and thanked members of the public for their tributes at the end of the magnate’s funeral.

At around 9am on Monday, Lee’s children appeared at the entrance of the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, where they briefly stopped to pose for photos.

They included Lee’s eldest son Peter Lee Ka-kit, younger son Martin Lee Ka-shing and his wife, Cathy Chui Lee, as well as his eldest daughter Margaret Lee Pui-man, her husband Li Ning, and younger daughters Liza Lee Pui-ling and Susanna Lee Pui-yee.

“We could not bear to say goodbye to our father, and neither could our entire family. But he was almost 100 years old,” Martin Lee Ka-shing said as he and his brother met the press after the funeral ended at around 12.50pm.

“He was surrounded by the whole family, and passed away peacefully.”

Martin Lee thanked the residents who came to pay tribute to his father.

“I am very grateful for the love the public has shown my father. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to them,” he said.

Lee Shau-kee’s eldest son Peter Lee (centre), younger son Martin Lee (third from left) and his wife, Cathy Chui Lee (second from left), at the memorial service for the late Hong Kong tycoon. Photo: Sam Tsang

Lee Shau-kee, the founder of Henderson Land Development and one of Hong Kong’s wealthiest developers and biggest philanthropists, died at the age of 97 in March.

The entrepreneur, fondly referred as “Fourth Uncle” by his staff and associates, established a business empire that includes seven Hong Kong-listed companies with a combined market value of HK$551 billion (US$71 billion) as of March 17, with interests in real estate, hotels, piped gas and a ferry operation.

He was fourth on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest people in 1996, with assets of US$12.7 billion. In 2024, he ranked 63rd on the world’s billionaires list and was the second richest man in Hong Kong.

Earlier in the morning, the city’s business and political heavyweights arrived to pay homage to the tycoon at his funeral.

The attendees included Victor Li Tzar-kuoi, the son of Hong Kong’s richest man Li Ka-shing, billionaire Peter Woo Kwong-ching and his son Douglas Woo Chun-kuen.

Also in attendance were former city leader Leung Chun-ying, Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, financial secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, former secretary for justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie, and former health secretary Sophia Chan Siu-chee.

Former city leader Leung Chun-ying and his wife at the memorial service for the late Henderson Land founder, who died in March this year. Photo: Sam Tsang

Prominent members of the finance sector such as Bank of East Asia executive chairman David Li Kwok-po, Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited chairman and managing director Raymond Kwok Ping-luen, and his brother Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong also paid their respects again after appearing at a vigil on Sunday.

Among representatives from the education sector were University of Hong Kong (HKU) vice-chancellor Xiang Zhang, former HKU vice-chancellor Tsui Lap-Chee, Chinese University of Hong Kong Council chairman John Chai Yat-chiu, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology president Nancy Ip Yuk-yu, Hong Kong Polytechnic University president Teng Jin-guang.

Legislative Council president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, his predecessor Rita Fan Hsu Lai Tai and lawmakers such as Michael Tien Puk-sun, Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, and Gary Chan Hak-kan also came.

A number of residents gathered at the bypass near the funeral home to pay tribute to Lee.

An elderly woman surnamed Lui said she had met Lee in the past at construction sites where she worked.

“He was very kind and generous,” the 80 year-old recalled as she wiped tears off her face.

“He always had a smile on his face and was very polite.”

Another resident who declined to state his name said he came to witness the passing of a significant figure, adding he had much respect for those in Lee’s generation, many of whom had risked their lives fleeing from mainland China to start a new life Hong Kong.