Lily Chow was born in Malaysia in 1931, and has lived in Canada since 1967. She is married and has three grown children. She has retired from the Prince George School District, but continues to teach Mandarin at the University of Northern British Columbia. Currently she works as an interpreter and translator.
Lily's book entitled Sojourners in the North, tells her readers of the early days of Chinese settlement, and carries through to the present day. Today, Chinese citizens are celebrated and honoured for their contributions to their communities in British Columbia. However, this was not always as common; in the past, Chinese citizens were treated poorly by the dominant Caucasian society. Lily's insightful book includes sections on various areas of Northern British Columbia, some of which include the Fraser River, Quesnel, Barkerville, and Prince George. This wonderful book is rich with unique photographs and personal stories. Lily has since authored another book entitled Chasing Their Dreams: Chinese Settlement in the Northwest Region of British Columbia, which was published in 2000.
Lily Chow received the Jean Clarke Memorial Local History Award on February 23, 1997 for the production of her book Sojourners in the North.