Cha Lee

Cha Lee, our brother, our uncle, our father, our husband, and a long-time servant to the Hmong community, was born on October 8, 1969 and passed from this earth April 12, 2022. 

Born to Nao Chue Lee and Va Xiong Lee, Cha was the sixth child out of eleven. His father served in General Vang Pao's army during the Vietnam War while his mother ran the home in his absence. Cha was born in the village of Salong, Laos in the middle of the Vietnam War, but was fortunate to escape the tragedies of war. Like so many other Hmong families, they made their way to the United States in 1980. Landing in New York, they found their way to Minneapolis, Minnesota where Cha attended Minneapolis 

Public Schools. Upon graduating from South High School, Cha attended and finished his Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota and his Masters of Nonprofit Management. Upon graduating from South High School, Cha attended and finished his Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota and his Masters of Nonprofit Management. 

Cha was a long-time servant to the Hmong community. He started his career and service in the late 199o's with Southeast Asian Community Council, a small non-profit organization in North Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving the Hmong and Lao communities. He eventually became the Executive Director of Southeast Asian Community Council where he successfully grew the size and impact of the organization, working closely with Minneapolis Police and Government Officials advocating for equity and justice for the Hmong and Lao communities across the Twin Cities. After leaving Southeast Asian Community Council he took his influence and efforts to a national stage where he led Hmong National Development for a period of 3 years focusing on increasing the engagement of a broader audience and the reach of the organization across the Nation. He later served as a member of Minnesota 18 Clan Council of Minnesota as the representative for the Lee clan helping the 18 Clan Council put in place many of the practices today. 

After retiring from his professional life, he settled down to a much simpler life of farming and cattle ranching on 260 acres with over 200 head of cattle, hogs, chickens and much more in Diamond, Missouri. Even in retirement, he continued to serve the local community. When Cha passed from this physical world, he was the active President of the Southwest Missouri Hmong Association focused on bringing together the Hmong community in Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas, and Northeast Oklahoma. 

As a community member he was also a keeper of the traditions of the Hmong culture. He often was called upon to help with funeral rights and weddings. As a shaman, he was often asked by family members to help with healing ceremonies to help loved ones heal and recover spiritually. 

Cha leaves behind a wife, three sons, two daughters, a daughter in-law, a granddaughter, and many more family members, friends and community members that have been touched by him and will miss him dearly. 

Services will be held from 8:00 A.M. Saturday, June 11, 2022 until 1:30 P.M. Monday, June 14, 2022 at McQueen Funeral Home in Wheaton. Burial will be at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Visit www.fohnfuneralhome.com for online obituaries, guestbook and private condolences.