HKIS PEOPLE
Steve (Tsui) Zee '69
November 29, 1948 - October 4, 2021
Steve (Tsui) Zee '69 was born on November 29, 1948, in Shanghai, China, to parents Peter and Joanna Zee. At the age of 11, he and his family moved to Hong Kong where he eventually attended HKIS. In 1968, Steve came to California to attend Yuba College and eventually transferred to Sacramento State and received a degree in business. He worked in the banking industry for nearly 40 years and his last position was Vice President Commercial Relationship Manager at Umpqua Bank where he was also a member of the President's Club. Steve was active in his community and could be seen volunteering for a variety of events ranging from the annual Prune Festival to the local high school grad night. His favorite past times were being a full-time grandpa and enjoying retirement.
Steve is survived by his brothers, Stanley, and Sunny; his sisters, Julia, Linda, and Nora; his wife, Ellen; daughter, Stephanie; son, Edwin; daughter-in-law, Chelsea; and two grandchildren.
To get in contact with Steve's family, please email Edwin Zee.
Steve is survived by his brothers, Stanley, and Sunny; his sisters, Julia, Linda, and Nora; his wife, Ellen; daughter, Stephanie; son, Edwin; daughter-in-law, Chelsea; and two grandchildren.
To get in contact with Steve's family, please email Edwin Zee.
Steve with his wife Ellen, daughter Stephanie, son Edwin, daughter-in-law, Chelsea, and two grandchildren.
Karin Burdsall
November 9, 1943 - September 13, 2021
Karin Burdsall taught French at HKIS from 1987 to 1989, but first joined the HKIS community as a parent in 1985 through her children John (Class of 1988) and Ana (Class of 1991).
Karin was known for always having a smile on her face, for her infectious energy, making immediate friends with everyone she met, and for always being up for an adventure.
Traveling was one of her passions, and being part of the Interim school trips at HKIS was certainly a highlight of her teaching years. She tried desperately to organize a trip to Tibet, but the border closed at the last minute and she reorganized an Interim to Yunnan instead. After four years in Hong Kong, the family was transferred to Frankfurt, Germany, just in time for the fall of the Berlin Wall. In true Karin fashion, she threw her daughter in the car and they drove up to Berlin together to chisel off pieces of the wall. After three years in Germany, John and Karin were transferred to the United States, and eventually retired back home in Karin’s native Costa Rica.
Retirement never slowed her down. Karin continued to travel around the world – sports fishing with her son in Papua New Guinea, walking the Camino Santiago in Spain with her husband, and exploring every beach and mountainside in Costa Rica, traipsing through the jungles looking for rare birds. Throughout the years, she always kept in touch with her HKIS colleagues, and even saw Sarah Todd just a few years ago in Austin, Texas.
When Karin wasn’t traveling, she was tending to her plants in her garden, or inventing new recipes in her kitchen, or hosting her famous dinner parties. Though she found joy in pretty much everything, nothing made her happier than spending time with her grandchildren.
Karin passed away peacefully at home in Costa Rica on the morning of September 13, 2021 surrounded by family and overlooking her garden. She is survived by her husband John, her son Johnny, her daughter Ana, and her grandchildren Felipe, Mariana, Cecilia and Holden. She will be missed every day, but if Karin taught us anything, it was to always think positive and to live life to its fullest.
To get in contact with Karin's family, please email Ana (Burdsall) Morse.
Karin was known for always having a smile on her face, for her infectious energy, making immediate friends with everyone she met, and for always being up for an adventure.
Traveling was one of her passions, and being part of the Interim school trips at HKIS was certainly a highlight of her teaching years. She tried desperately to organize a trip to Tibet, but the border closed at the last minute and she reorganized an Interim to Yunnan instead. After four years in Hong Kong, the family was transferred to Frankfurt, Germany, just in time for the fall of the Berlin Wall. In true Karin fashion, she threw her daughter in the car and they drove up to Berlin together to chisel off pieces of the wall. After three years in Germany, John and Karin were transferred to the United States, and eventually retired back home in Karin’s native Costa Rica.
Retirement never slowed her down. Karin continued to travel around the world – sports fishing with her son in Papua New Guinea, walking the Camino Santiago in Spain with her husband, and exploring every beach and mountainside in Costa Rica, traipsing through the jungles looking for rare birds. Throughout the years, she always kept in touch with her HKIS colleagues, and even saw Sarah Todd just a few years ago in Austin, Texas.
When Karin wasn’t traveling, she was tending to her plants in her garden, or inventing new recipes in her kitchen, or hosting her famous dinner parties. Though she found joy in pretty much everything, nothing made her happier than spending time with her grandchildren.
Karin passed away peacefully at home in Costa Rica on the morning of September 13, 2021 surrounded by family and overlooking her garden. She is survived by her husband John, her son Johnny, her daughter Ana, and her grandchildren Felipe, Mariana, Cecilia and Holden. She will be missed every day, but if Karin taught us anything, it was to always think positive and to live life to its fullest.
To get in contact with Karin's family, please email Ana (Burdsall) Morse.
Karin with her husband John, son Johnny, daughter Ana, and her grandchildren Cecillia, Mariana and Holden.
Eric Olof Sun '89
July 16, 1971 - August 22, 2021
For those of us who’ve had the great fortune of knowing Eric during his short time here on earth, we count ourselves blessed. As a son, a husband, a father, a brother, a friend, Eric loved each of us with a passion so intense that we never ever doubted he was always on Team Us. He stood in our corner, rooted for us, cheered us on and at times disagreed with us but always stood by our side. He modelled his life after his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and, like his Lord, he loved us, in spite of our flaws.
Eric was born in Montreal in 1971 to Charles and Christina Sun. His arrival filled their home with joy and laughter, and as he grew, he brought pride to his parents. Eric was blessed with great intelligence and at 18 months, he could already form full sentences. He excelled academically throughout his years in school joining HKIS in 1984 and upon graduation from our alma mater, matriculated at UC Berkeley in 1989. His thirst for academics did not end at Berkeley. The consummate philomath that he was, Eric completed a MBA at Ivey Business School (Ontario, Canada) and graduated with a Master of Divinity at Tyndale Seminary (Ontario, Canada) in 2010.
His love for learning is rivalled by his love for the dramatic arts which began in elementary school and continued throughout his years at HKIS when he joined as an eighth grader in 1984. Eric also loved to sing and was an enthusiastic pianist. Blessed with a great ear and beautiful bass-baritone voice, Eric participated in choir and joined the singing group Allegro led by Bill Kuhn during his time at HKIS. He also enjoyed participating in various plays and coffee house performances. An avid sportsman, Eric cherished his time on both the basketball and rugby teams at HKIS.
Although he excelled in academics, acting, and singing, Eric was determined to be an even better husband and father. Eric met his wife, Irene, a fellow business school student at Ivey. They married in 2003. One year later, Eric and Irene became parents with the arrival of their firstborn, Matthias, in 2004. Their small family grew with the additions of Nathaniel in 2005, Anna in 2009 and Aaron in 2011. As a husband, he modelled as closely as he could the commandments as written in Ephesians Chapter 5, loving his wife sacrificially as Christ loved the church. As a father, he loved his children with every fiber in his body, willing to drop everything to be there for them.
He loved his younger sister, Ingrid (Class of 1992), and was protective of her as a big brother should. He loved his friends with a ferocity seldom seen in this world. He loved all of us every day of his life, every waking moment. That is just who Eric was. Although he left us far too early, the indelible memories he created with us will remain in our hearts until we see him again one day.
Eric is survived by his mother Christina, his wife Irene, his children Matthias, Nathaniel, Anna, and Aaron, his sister Ingrid, brother-in-law Archie, and niece Tallie.
The Sun family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to all those in the HKIS community for their support, care and prayers during this time. And, a big thank you also to Benny Chuchen (class of 1988) who graciously authored this memoriam on behalf of the family.
Please click here for the memoriam Facebook page.
Eric was born in Montreal in 1971 to Charles and Christina Sun. His arrival filled their home with joy and laughter, and as he grew, he brought pride to his parents. Eric was blessed with great intelligence and at 18 months, he could already form full sentences. He excelled academically throughout his years in school joining HKIS in 1984 and upon graduation from our alma mater, matriculated at UC Berkeley in 1989. His thirst for academics did not end at Berkeley. The consummate philomath that he was, Eric completed a MBA at Ivey Business School (Ontario, Canada) and graduated with a Master of Divinity at Tyndale Seminary (Ontario, Canada) in 2010.
His love for learning is rivalled by his love for the dramatic arts which began in elementary school and continued throughout his years at HKIS when he joined as an eighth grader in 1984. Eric also loved to sing and was an enthusiastic pianist. Blessed with a great ear and beautiful bass-baritone voice, Eric participated in choir and joined the singing group Allegro led by Bill Kuhn during his time at HKIS. He also enjoyed participating in various plays and coffee house performances. An avid sportsman, Eric cherished his time on both the basketball and rugby teams at HKIS.
Although he excelled in academics, acting, and singing, Eric was determined to be an even better husband and father. Eric met his wife, Irene, a fellow business school student at Ivey. They married in 2003. One year later, Eric and Irene became parents with the arrival of their firstborn, Matthias, in 2004. Their small family grew with the additions of Nathaniel in 2005, Anna in 2009 and Aaron in 2011. As a husband, he modelled as closely as he could the commandments as written in Ephesians Chapter 5, loving his wife sacrificially as Christ loved the church. As a father, he loved his children with every fiber in his body, willing to drop everything to be there for them.
He loved his younger sister, Ingrid (Class of 1992), and was protective of her as a big brother should. He loved his friends with a ferocity seldom seen in this world. He loved all of us every day of his life, every waking moment. That is just who Eric was. Although he left us far too early, the indelible memories he created with us will remain in our hearts until we see him again one day.
Eric is survived by his mother Christina, his wife Irene, his children Matthias, Nathaniel, Anna, and Aaron, his sister Ingrid, brother-in-law Archie, and niece Tallie.
The Sun family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to all those in the HKIS community for their support, care and prayers during this time. And, a big thank you also to Benny Chuchen (class of 1988) who graciously authored this memoriam on behalf of the family.
Please click here for the memoriam Facebook page.
Front Aaron, Eric '89, Anna, and Irene Back Matthias and Nathaniel