Meet Our Family
Man Lam
Paternal Grandmother of the Bride
Man is Lily's paternal grandmother. She was born in an Ancient Town called Minan in the suburb of Fuzhou, China. She is one of eleven siblings, where only five survived the hardships of World War II. She raised her four children largely on her own as grandpa worked oversea to financially support the family. She carried the responsibility of caring for the household and children through years of sacrifice and perseverance. Later, the family moved to Hong Kong, and then to America in search of new opportunities and a better life. In America, Grandma lived with Lily's parents and helped raised Lily and her brother, Duncan. She is known for keeping the home impeccably clean. When she is not cleaning or tidying, she also enjoys watching Chinese soap operas and spending time with her grandchildren. One of her greatest joys is gathering the family for meals — a tradition that began in Hong Kong, where she would take her grandchildren to places like McDonald’s and KFC, and continues today in New York City through weekend dim sum and hot pot. Her favorite part of any meal is the dessert at the end!
Kin Hung Cheng
Father of the Bride
Kin is Lily's father. He was born in Fuzhou, where he lived until he was 16 years old before his family moved to Hong Kong. At that time, life was difficult - food was scarce and money was hard to earn. He decided that he needed to come to America to seek a better life for himself and his family. At the age of 19, Kin arrived at Ellis Island. Although he hardly knew the language, culture, or city, he quickly adapted to life in NYC - sharing a small room with many other Chinese immigrants like himself, working long hours in restaurants, and learning English. Eventually, he moved to Easthampton, Massachusetts, where he bought a house, raised his children, and also opened his own restaurant “First Wok”. In his free time, he enjoys listening to Chinese music, watching action movies, and traveling with his family and friends. Kin is an avid nature photographer and loves to travel the world in search of photographing the most unique birds.
Lin Dan Qing
Mother of the Bride
Lin is Lily’s mother. She grew up in Fuzhou and is the middle child of five siblings. After completing high school, she worked in a textile factory, where her boss introduced her to her now-husband, Kin. They had a whirlwind romance and married in just 14 days! She fell pregnant with Lily and was left to raise her for 3 years after Kin returned to America to secure their visas. Eventually, she and Lily were able to reunite with Kin, and they settled in Easthampton, MA. Lin soon had her son, Duncan, and raised her kids to value sacrifice and hard work throughout their upbringing. She helped run the family restaurant with Kin. While not working, she enjoys browsing the markets, writing poems, watching Chinese dramas, and doing yoga.
Duncan Cheng
Brother of the Bride
Duncan is Lily’s younger brother. After high school, he enlisted and joined the United States Marine Corps, serving as an 0352 - anti tank guided missile man in the infantry. Currently living in Massachusetts, he now works as a registered nurse at a hospital in western Massachusetts, after graduating from UMass Amherst with a bachelors degree in nursing science. In his spare time, he goes to the gym, builds scale models, likes to socialize with friends, and likes trying out new experiences such as traveling around Europe.
David Malecki
Father of the Groom
David is Alex's dad, and born and raised in Utica, NY. He currently resides in a home on the Seneca River in Jordan, NY with his dog Lily. His higher education includes degrees in Biology, Biochemistry, and Education. During his senior year of high school, he competed for and won a music scholarship, performing on his Bach trumpet four years in a row. But the call to secure a career in science and/or healthcare was very strong. He worked at Cornell University for three years as a research chemist in Agricultural Engineering, then earned his Master's Degree in Education with permanent certification in Chemistry, Biology, and Earth Science. He dedicated his career to teaching these sciences at the high school level. He is currently retired and spends much of his time in musical rehearsals and performances. He continues to play his trumpet in various community and marching bands. He is a member of several choirs and serves as one of the cantors at his church. His hobbies include gardening, feeding the birds, hiking, photography, Polish Heritage Dancing, Broadway shows, and traveling to Europe. He is looking forward to Lily and Alex's future life together and could not ask for a better daughter-in-law!!
Annette Hagy
Mother of the Groom
Annette is Alex’s Mom and was born in Corning NY, but now lives in Baldwinsville NY. She lives with her dog Lily and two guinea pigs and a tank full of fish. Annette went to Corning Community College and then SUNY Binghamton and SUNY Cortland . She has several degrees: one in engineering, a masters in chemistry and a master in education. While planning to be a research chemist, she fell in love with teaching while as a grad student. She became a high school science teacher focusing on chemistry and physics with a minor focus in earth science. She has since retired from teaching, but still likes to go in to sub to help her colleagues and interact with students she has gotten to know. Annette, in her spare time, likes to read, spend time in the forest walking at the local park up the road, biking, and walking and spending time outside in her yard with her dog. She also plays the piano and saxophone and has rejoined community band which she is really enjoying. Annette loves to spend time each summer at Long Beach Island, especially with her kids. Alex is her surfing partner!
Katelyn Malecki
Sister of the Groom
Katelyn is Alex’s younger sister and was born is Baldwinsville, but now lives in Fayetteville, NY with her boyfriend Zach and their cat Annie. She works at Pinckney Hugo Group, a full-service marketing agency in Syracuse, NY, as an account manager for a range of clients. She graduated from Onondaga Community College and the Fashion Institute of Technology. In her spare time, she loves testing our her trivia knowledge, reading books (and adding new ones to the collection), discovering new movies and tv shows, and doing various crafts.
