Obituary of Hlong Jonathan Lee

Hlong (Looj) Jonathan Lee was born on August 16, 2002 in Merced, California to parents Mr. and Mrs. Vaam Suav Lis. He was their 6th child and the second son out of the seven Lee siblings. His birth brought the most joy to his grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Num Cawv Lis. For we know two is better than one. His birth assured us that his older brother Joshua would have a lifelong friend. As an infant, he was a quiet and gentle soul. He hardly threw a tantrum and squealed only when he needed a fresh diaper or was hungry. He had dark thick hair, dark round almond eyes, dark olive skin, with the chubbiest cheeks. As he continued to grow and mature, he developed a love for music. In the 5th grade, he joined the school's concert band playing the clarinet. He joined his middle school's marching band to continue playing the clarinet, and was a member of the band's percussion team. During that time, he didn't own a drum set and would often practice keeping beat by tapping on the hard cover of his textbooks. As any older brother would do, he showed and tried his very best to be his baby brother Jason's first music teacher. There was a time when we quietly stood outside his bedroom door and heard him teaching Jason how to hold a drum beat while he played the guitar. You may wonder why we chose to stand outside his bedroom door quietly and not go in to enjoy the show with our eyes. If you knew him, you would know that he was a quiet and shy boy. If he knew that he was put on the spotlight, he would shyly turn away. His humble nature never wanted his talents and skills to be shared with the world. In the summer of 2016, the Lee family made the transition from Merced, CA to Owasso, OK. Jonathan, along with his 4 siblings mad the move to Owasso with his parents, leaving behind his two eldest sisters, two eldest brother in laws, cousins, aunts, and uncles. He often came back to visit California as much as time would allow him to. After the birth of his nephew and nieces, he looked forward to spending his winter break and summer break with his babies. His love for music continued to mature in Owasso. As a member of the Owasso Hmong Alliance Church, he was a part of the congregation's praise and worship team. He was excited to come to worship and practice to mingle with his brothers and sisters in Christ. He was always a quiet and shy person, but he was so appreciative of the opportunity to play and be a part of the worship team. Most of all, he appreciated the opportunity to learn how to speak, read, and write in the Hmong from the elders on the worship team. Like any teenager, he wanted to experience working and earning his own money for his personal financial needs. His first job was at Taco Bell. At the end of his shifts, he would often bring home nacho fries for Jason. He continued serving the Lord with his musical talents, loved his family, and expressed interests for his future. He loved hunting and fishing with his brothers and dad. He was the most patient one out of the siblings. He patience led him to be the only one who tied and untied Jason's jigs, for they were always getting stuck mysteriously. He loved nature and enjoyed the quietness of his surroundings. In his room, he had pictures and décor of outer space. His curiosity of space lead him to visit science academies and piqued his interest in NASA. While many had exquisite goals in life, his was simple. He wanted to own land so that he could hunt on his property quietly. In an unexpected moment, his life ended on March 3, 2021. We will never know and will forever question this tragedy for the rest of our lives, but we know God is sovereign and merciful. The final chapter of his short life is now closed, and he will be joining the same resting grounds with his grandparents in Winton, California. He was Jonathan to many, but he was and still is our Jona, Tub Looj, Aiv Looj, Looj Koo, and our favorite, Nraug Nas. We were looking forward to calling him Kwim Looj after the birth of his children and going through the Hmong culture name rite of passage. We will never get the opportunity to call him Kwim Looj, but Kwim Looj will be written on our hearts. Our baby boy is irreplaceable, humble, selfless, and was one of a kind. His memories will live on in our hearts forever. Never a goodbye, but a "I'll see you later", our baby boy. Love, - Dad, Mom, Aunt Yer, Aunt Ka, Jenny, Steven, Jane, Suwan, Landon, Athena, Ariana, Jereka, Leon, Joanna, Johnny, Josh, Alex, Jared, Justin, and Jason.