On April 5th we celebrated our 7th annual Qing Ming Festival. Qing Ming is an annual celebration where we honor the Chinese who have lived and worked in our community. This year Salem’s Mayor, Julie Hoy read the Qing Ming Proclamation and swept the Chinese community funerary table at Pioneer’s Cemetery – and also shared her connection of a relative of hers, to Helen Ng Mun Tayne, who was born here in Salem. Helen’s father had come to Salem from China in 1879, and he became a hop grower. Helen Ng Mun Tayne was born on a hop ranch not too far away from Salem’s Pioneer Cemetery on 28 April 1906. Helen served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAC) throughout WWII. After the war, Helen continued to serve and she officially retired from the U.S. Army in 1964 as a Chief Warrant Officer 3, after more than 20 years of service. After Helen’s death in 1967 she was buried in Salem’s Pioneer cemetery near her family. Helen’s grave marker is one of four matching family stones that stand in a neat row not too far from the Chinese funerary table. To learn more about her life, and to see a picture please visit: https://www.willametteheritage.org/commemorating-the-life-of-cw3-helen-ng-mun-tayne/

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