S'pore woman who worked as construction worker to support family dies at 102

A woman who worked as a construction worker in her younger years and participated in various construction projects, including Changi Airport Terminal 1, passed away at the age of 102.

The centenarian, Lin Lan (transliteration), was hospitalised four months ago and died on Feb. 21, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Lin leaves behind five sons and four daughters, as well as 62 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Had to support large family

One of Lin's sons, 70-year-old Fu Chunjia (transliteration), told Shin Min that their father worked as a farmer and in order to help support their large family, Lin took up construction work.

As a child, he accompanied his mother to worksites to carry bricks and recalled joining her in the construction of Changi Airport Terminal 1 in the 1970s, when she was already in her 50s.

He added that his mother also worked on the construction of several roads and factories.

Lin's youngest daughter, 63-year-old Fu Furong (transliteration), said her mother would leave for work at 6am and return only at 6pm each day.

Despite the long hours, Lin would often buy a piece of rice cake on her way home for her children to share.

"Although she always came back exhausted, she would sit in a corner and smile as she watched us eat," Furong said, describing it as one of her most cherished childhood memories.

According to her, the family's meals typically consisted of papaya, sweet potato leaves and eggs.

They would get to eat pork belly and chicken only during Chinese New Year, and Furong said her mother would purposely choose the neck or feet, which were less meaty, so her children could have more.

She also described her mother as both hardworking and skilled in embroidery, noting that even after cataract surgery, she still embroidered two pillowcases for her.

Those pillowcases have since been passed on to Furong's children.

Roasted brown rice water

Fu told Shin Min that his mother had a light diet and a long-standing habit of drinking roasted brown rice water.

He said she would roast brown rice, store it in a jar and brew it with hot water whenever she wanted to drink it — a practice he has since adopted himself.

Furong also recalled that her mother preferred cold showers throughout her life, even into her 80s and 90s.

Even though they were not well-off, Fu said they were happy, adding that his mother rarely scolded them.

Top photos from Shin Min Daily News