Stanford
Asian American Activities Center

Remembering Emory Lee '59, MA '64

The Asian American Activities Center and Stanford community mourn the recent passing of esteemed alum, Emory Lee, Class of '59, MA '64.

Emory Lee ('59, MA '64) was a dedicated public servant and lifelong advocate for the Stanford Asian American community.  He championed the Asian American Activities Center, helmed the creation of the Stanford Asian Pacific American Alumni Club, and fought tirelessly for the needs of students, including serving as a mentor and role model for generations of young people.  A true pillar of our community, Emory was inducted into the Stanford Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame in 2014.  Emory's legacy will not be forgotten.  Read more about Emory's extraordinary life of service and impact below.

Community members are invited to attend Emory's Celebration of Life, hosted by his family, on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 4:30pm held at Stanford Memorial Church.  Details and RSVP here.

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Emory McCrea Lee, age 88, died peacefully at his home in Cupertino, California on November 18, 2025.

Born on June 6, 1937, in Portland, Oregon, Emory was the youngest of eight children, the son of immigrants from the Toisan region of China who owned one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Portland, the Golden Dragon.

After graduating from Cleveland High School in Portland, Emory attended Stanford University, earning his BA in biology in 1959 and his master’s degree in East Asian history in 1964. While at Stanford he met and married Ayleen Ito, who was then a student at Mills College. In 1964, he and Ayleen moved to Taipei, Taiwan, where he studied Chinese language and history for two years at the Stanford Center there.

Inspired by the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s, Emory decided to devote his career to public service. After working with troubled youth in San Francisco’s Chinatown, in 1970 Emory joined the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). True to his commitment to public service, Emory spent the next 40 years at HHS, eventually serving as Executive Officer and Acting Regional Director for HHS in San Francisco.

Throughout his life Emory was deeply engaged in his community, playing a leadership role in advancing the interests of Asian Americans. He was a co-founder and board member of the Chinese Culture Center, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and the Stanford Asian Pacific American Alumni Club (SAPAAC), and an early advisor to Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI). He served on the board of directors of the Stanford Alumni Association and the Bay Area Partnership for Children and Youth, and as Chair of the National Advisory Board for Stanford’s Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. He was fond of mentoring students and young professionals. In recognition of his contributions, Emory was inducted into Stanford’s Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame in 2014.

Aside from his professional and civic endeavors, Emory had wide and varied interests. A long-time resident of Palo Alto, Emory was a passionate fan of Stanford sports, having attended nearly every home football game for over 50 years, where he relished the opportunity to reunite with former classmates. He loved attending the San Francisco Opera, Symphony, and Ballet, as well as events at Bing Concert Hall and Theatre Works of Silicon Valley. He was an obsessive collector, including of stamps, books, model Packards, jazz LPs, toy soldiers, and a world-class collection of over 1000 Japanese folk toys.

Emory is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ayleen Ito Lee; a son, Randall Lee (Stella Jeong), of Los Angeles; a daughter, Marceline Lee (Philip Smith), of Davis; and five grandchildren (Conor, Aubrey, and Charlotte Lee-Smith, and Nick and Maya Lee).

A celebration of life will be held on February 19, 2026, at 4:30 pm, at Stanford Memorial Church, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305. A reception will follow.

Memorial contributions may be made to:

 

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