Lily Lim Stinson
January 15, 1949 – July 4, 2021
Lily Lim Stinson of Oakland passed away peacefully with her family at her side on July 4,
2021. She was born in Canton, China on January 15, 1949, and emigrated to the United States
from Hong Kong in 1957, traveling aboard the SS President Wilson.
Lily grew up in Oakland, and graduated from Oakland High School. She then attended
California State University, Hayward, where she received a Bachelors of Science Degree in
Sociology. Lily worked briefly in an office following college, but soon realized that it was not
her calling. She really missed the interactions with people that she enjoyed while working as a
waitress to pay for her schooling. So, Lily returned to the restaurant service industry, working
at Biffs Coffee Shop in Oakland for over 20 years. It was during this time that she met the love
of her life, Tom Stinson, former Oakland firefighter.
Lily and Tom married in 1991 and made their home in Oakland. Family meant everything to
Lily, and her husband, children and grandchildren were the lights of her life. After her parents’
passing, Lily became the matriarch of the Lim family. Family gatherings were a regular
occurrence at her home, where she always made sure everybody else was served before she
served herself. To love and care for family before all else was what she always strived for, and
her greatest enjoyment came from celebrating family milestones and achievements.
Lily is survived by her beloved husband Tom Stinson; her daughters Michelle Stinson-Quan
and Denise Korbe; sons-in-law Kenny Quan and Will Korbe; grand children Kenzie Quan and
Tyler Korbe; brothers George and Alan Lim; sisters-in-law Kyoko Tanno-Lim and Corinna
Lim; nephews and niece Alex, Cody and Jacqueline.
A private family memorial will be held on July 16, 2021 at Mountain View Cemetery in
Oakland. In lieu of flowers, please consider charitable donations to Hospice East Bay or the
American Cancer Society in Lily’s name.
