Lee Khoon Choy was born on January 24, 1924, and died on February 27, 2016.
He was a Malaysian teacher and journalist, and a Singaporean journalist, politician and diplomat, and an author and painter.
Choy was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore, a member of the first five Parliaments of Singapore, Senior Minister of State, and ambassador and high commissioner to eight countries.
Lee Khoon Choy started his career in journalism, culminating in his working for The Straits Times, in 1946.
He left in 1959, Lee commenced his political career and was elected to the legislative assembly.
Lee Khoon Choy served as Minister of State for Culture, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Senior Minister of State in PMO.
Choy stepped down from his parliamentary positions in 1984.
In 1968 he commenced his diplomatic career, serving as Singapore’s Ambassador to Egypt, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Lebanon and Indonesia, and High Commissioner in Pakistan.
On stepping down from Parliament, he served as Singapore’s Ambassador to Japan and South Korea.
Lee married Florence Khor Swee Hoon, and they had two sons.
His wife prematurely died of cancer at age 30 in 1959.
During 1962, he married Eng Ah Siam, with whom he has had five daughters.
He left behind his second wife, seven children and 11 grandchildren.
Lee Khoon Choy retired from public service in 1988, founding his own firm, Eng Lee Investment Consultants, in 1990
Lee Khoon Choy passed away at 92 yrs old.