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TRIBUTES filled with adoration flowed at the funeral of Wilson Look Kin at Sts Peter and Paul Church in St Andrew on Monday morning as relatives and friends remembered the powerful yet humble man as a loving brother and a stalwart within the Chinese community in Jamaica and Freemasonry. Born on June 29, 1944, in Trinidad, Look Kin came to Jamaica and stamped his legacy by founding one of the largest food and beverage brands in the island and the Caribbean — the popular Kendel brand. The astute businessman, who died at age 82 on September 21, had a host of other accomplishments which all form part of his legacy. His younger brother, Frank Look Kin, spoke of the love and admiration he had for his big brother, who went out of his way on countless occasions to make others happy. “Wilson was the best brother that one could have. He was always protective of his siblings and generous to his nephews and nieces. At Christmastime, he was always generous, giving cash in a rare Chinese envelope to the children in the family. In 1988, at age 44, he decided to migrate to Jamaica to try a different entrepreneurial business. In a sense, he was going back to the family roots — a retail Chinese shop. He started by operating a small business on Princess Street in downtown Kingston,” Frank said.

Wilson Look Kin’s daughter Laurel carries the urn with his cremains while her sister and his widow Delores (second right) follow at Sts Peter and Paul Church on Monday. (Photos: Llewellyn Wynter)

“I recall visiting his business place, which was about 12 feet wide, and him selling a mix of goods. I could not believe the level of activity on the street, with handcart vendors and roadside market stalls. The competition there was intense and it was all cash-based transactions. Later, with links to Trinidad, he started importing paper diapers from a local manufacturer. I questioned his judgement, but he explained to me that while disposable diapers were relatively expensive, it was convenient because it did not require running water to wash cloth diapers, where water was not readily available,” he shared. Pointing out that disposable diapers were a hot-ticket item, Frank said his big brother became a very successful businessman who had an extremely keen sense of what the market wanted. “From diapers, he expanded to cooking oil from National Flour Mills in Trinidad. Then, he added other food products and created the Good & Natural brand. That turned out to be a winner. Later, he expanded into the importation of products from other countries, such as coconut milk powder, and ginger tea from Thailand. With true entrepreneurial spirit, he created the trademark Kendel, a name which is a combination of his middle name, Kenny, and his wife’s name, Delores. “As the business expanded, he opened a distribution centre on Ashenheim Road, where he had warehouses and an office. His customer base was grocery stores and supermarkets throughout Jamaica,” Frank told the congregation, adding that his brother was always a shrewd businessman. “For example, he enjoyed visiting supermarkets to examine where his products were being exhibited. He always wanted his products to be displayed at eye level, never on the highest or the lowest shelf,” Frank explained. Look Kin was also remembered as a devout servant of the Chinese community in Jamaica and an excellent and revered Freemason.

Members of the local Chinese community at the funeral of their colleague Wilson Look Kin on Monday at Sts Peter and Paul church in St Andrew.

Robert Hew, who was representing the Chinese Benevolent Association, shared that Look Kin was a long-standing member who served as president for three years — 2007, 2008, and 2009. He also served as a member of the management committee and was on the board of supervisors up to this year. He also said that Look Kin sat on many subcommittees and on the board of the Sun Yat-Sen Benevolent Association. “He also held high office in the Jamaica-China Friendship Association. I’ll always remember Wilson as being very well respected. Even though most committee members were addressed by their first names, he was almost always addressed as Mr Look Kin instead of Wilson, perhaps because of his gruff exterior, but I think more because of the respect he commanded. “I feel honoured that in recent years I felt comfortable enough to start calling him Wilson in person and that he didn’t correct me,” said Hew, who also remembered Look Kin as very pragmatic and focused. “Everyone will tell you that he got things done, and also that he was always working with the best interests of the Chinese community at heart. I think this is what he would have liked to have been known for and was his key to success in his business life too,” Hew shared. Robert Woodstock, past master of the Glenlyon Lodge, who is currently the lodge’s director of ceremonies, shared that Look Kin took care of his brethren and fellows and treated all people — Freemasons or not — with respect, compassion, tolerance, and empathy. Woodstock said he was a true and unselfish altruist, who was always willing to quietly and unpretentiously give a generous sum to assist a brother in need, but equally was one of the first to contribute to the largest outreach programmes and charity events in the community. “He was unquestionably honest and always reliable, a true brother of high moral integrity. Never an unkind word about another brother, or indeed anyone. He just modestly went about his masonry, striving to be a better and brighter man, while freely and unselfishly providing the benefits of his wisdom and financial acumen to the lodge,” Woodstock shared. He added that as a result of Look Kin’s fruitful and harmonious labour in the quarries of Freemasonry, he was made master of Lodge Caribbean Light in October 1987. “Even after relocating to Jamaica, he did not relent in his quest for Masonic knowledge, and soon searched out the Masonic building in Kingston, where he met Brother Emory Woodstock, who welcomed him and soon ensured that he would be affiliated to the Glenlyon Lodge Number 346, the oldest Scottish Lodge in Jamaica. Over time, Brother Wilson Look Kin ingratiated himself with the brethren of the lodge through his willingness to assist in the most complex or menial of tasks. As a reward for his good, square, and consistent work, he was installed as master of the lodge in December 2010,” Woodstock shared. “Despite having twice achieved the highest honour that a lodge has within its power to confer, Brother Look Kin, unlike a few, never lost his interest and continued to participate in all lodge meetings and events,” Woodstock said.