Coco Lee allegedly experienced marital problems with her estranged husband, Canadian businessman Bruce Rockowitz. Photo: Coco Lee/Facebook
Coco Lee’s estranged husband, Canadian businessman Bruce Rockowitz, was not listed in the latest obituary of the late Hong Kong-American singer, but her elder sister Nancy urged the public not to read too much into it.
Lee’s family took out an obituary in Hong Kong newspapers on Friday (July 21). Her elder sisters Nancy and Carol as well as Carol’s husband were listed as the family members.
It led several media outlets to speculate why Rockowitz’s name was not included.
Lee, who died aged 48 on July 5, had been diagnosed with depression years earlier.
She allegedly experienced marital problems with Rockowitz, who is in his mid-60s, and they were rumoured to have separated, although Lee never addressed the speculation.
Nancy told Taiwanese news portal SET News that the obituary on Friday did not include other family members because there were just too many. She pointed out that their 86-year-old mother was also not included in the obituary.
“Please respect the arrangements of the family of the deceased, and don’t keep running unnecessary gossip,” she said.
Rockowitz took out an obituary earlier in July listing his name and those of his two daughters from his previous marriage, Rachel and Sarah, as well as Nancy and Carol.
Nancy told the media later that the first obituary was published by Rockowitz himself, even though Nancy said she had offered to publish one with him after details of the funeral were confirmed.
The second obituary confirmed details of the funeral services, which will take place on July 31 and Aug 1 at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point.
These details were earlier released by Nancy on social media on July 14. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network