A life beautifully lived and a heart so deeply loved...
Her Story
LeeAnne Par Lee (Paj Lig) Chang was born on September 16, 1959, to Za Moua Chang and Khou Xiong in Ban Pha Hay, Laos; the second youngest of four children. As a child, and the daughter of the town mayor, LeeAnne was modest but had a high sense of propriety and conduct. She was good-natured and always thought the best of everyone despite the challenges she faced.
In 1975, she married Ryan Tong Kai Xiong and together they emigrated from Laos to the US in 1980 at the height of the Vietnam War which left her an orphan.
LeeAnne and Ryan briefly lived in Minnesota, Colorado, and Utah before permanently settling in Olivehurst, California. A lifelong resident of Yuba County, LeeAnne was an avid gardener and a staple throughout Northern California’s farmers’ market circuit. She took great pride in her relationships with her customers and had a gift for making things grow. She had a kind smile that could lighten your day and unburden your heart.
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Despite her longing for family and friends, LeeAnne loved freely. She was a loving wife, dedicated mother, doting grandmother, and the kindest person to those she encountered. She was a woman who lovingly obsessed over our daily schedules and our well-being, and who took such immense pride in our accomplishments -- large, small, or imagined.
Our mom worked hard all her life. She made sure we knew the importance of higher education so that we would never have to toil in the hot sun or blistering cold as she and my father did all their lives. Growing up in a two-bedroom apartment with 10+ siblings, we were never hungry, never dressed in tattered clothing, and always kept warm in our mom's embrace. By all standards, we were poor but we never felt that sting of reality in our childhood. As any mother would, she shielded us and gave us the world. Our beautiful mother is the embodiment of motherhood, of selfless love, sacrifice, strength, kindness, patience, wisdom, grace.
She left us too soon...
In the early hours on Thursday, January 14, 2021, LeeAnne departed this life at the age of 61 years, in the comfort of her home in Olivehurst, CA, surrounded by her family.
She is survived by her husband and their twelve children and their spouses, Xia Xiong and Michael Yang of Sacramento, CA; John Nyiaj Sawm Xiong and Diana Vang of Plumas Lake, CA; Linda Xiong and Bon Vang of Yuba City, CA; May Xiong-Nhem and John Nhem of Zeeland, MI; Sheng Xiong and Ly Tseu Nhiayi of Pasadena, CA; Yer Xiong and Kor Lee of Sacramento, CA; Michael Xiong and Mary Moua of Plumas Lake, CA; Lisa Xiong and Nhia Sue Thao of Marysville, CA; Peter Xiong and Pa Vang of Olivehurst, CA; David Neng Va Xiong and Mang Yang of Olivehurst, CA; Annie Xiong and Level Vang of Plumas Lake, CA; and Andrew Xiong of Plumas Lake, CA. LeeAnne also leaves behind thirty-two beloved grandchildren, her fur baby -- a german shepherd named Loki, and a host of close friends and relatives.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Nhia Blia Chang, and her sisters, Mai Chang and Ah Chang.
LeeAnne will be lovingly remembered for her love of life, family, and community as well as her goodwill and selflessness. We are in awe of the strength she endured throughout her life and the life lessons she taught us will forever be cherished. She will be immeasurably missed by the many whose lives she touched.
Mom, the memory of you will always be in our hearts. We love you and miss you always.
