Wah Wong, a resident of Brookline, MA, was born on January 31, 1928 in Hoiping, Guangdong, China. Wah was a creative, adventurous, and curious spirit who enjoyed gardening, crafts and cultural activities, exploring nature, playing mahjong, and reading mysteries and historical fiction. She loved ice cream, trying different foods and cuisines, and researching herbs and recipes to make delicious, nutritious Chinese soups and dishes for her family and friends. Wah was a loving, generous and fun mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who was the keystone of the family and encouraged them to better themselves and the community.
Wah grew up in Guangdong, with her parents Seto Sum and Yee Yu Chun and two younger brothers, enduring the wars and constant displacement. Her father was an economics professor who encouraged Wah’s education and love of learning. Her brothers and friends told stories of her fearlessness and mischievous adventures. Wah and Gock Han met in primary school, and for Gock Han, it was love at first sight. After their wedding, they worked as teachers in their village. When Gock Han moved to the U.S. to earn money to send home, Wah relocated to Hong Kong to raise their two young sons Joseph and John with her mother-in-law. In 1961, after a separation of ten years, she was able to move to the U.S. to join Gock Han and bring their family together. Their family expanded with two daughters, Eleanor and Susan.
For more than 35 years, Wah and Gock Han worked in the family laundry and restaurant businesses in the Mission Hill area of Boston. After retiring, she traveled, grew Chinese vegetables and giant squashes, and studied Chinese brush painting and Mandarin and English languages at the Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center. She was a dedicated volunteer for the Wong Family Benevolent Association, serving as the president of the Wong Family Women’s Auxiliary group for many years. She helped create and was an active volunteer at the ChungWah Academy of New England, helping with administration and often teaching Chinatown children after school and on the weekends, so their immigrant parents could work. A devout Catholic, she was a member of Saint James the Greater Church.
Wah is survived by her loving family, including her children Joseph, Eleanor, and Susan; daughters-in-law Sara and Mee; son-in-law John; grandchildren James, Kimberly, Jeremy, Elisabeth, and Jade, and their spouses/partners Erika, Kevin, Katie, Bashar and Ian, respectively; and great-grandchildren Ronan, Jensen, Leon, Sophia, Cian, and Jackson. She is preceded in death by her devoted husband of over 70 years, Gock Han, and her son, John.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Visiting hours will be from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Saint James the Greater Church at 125 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA, followed by Mass from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Free parking is available at the surface parking lot on 55 Hudson Street. She will be laid to rest at Forest Hill Cemetery, 95 Forest Hills Ave, Boston, MA, followed by a lunch in Chinatown. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Wah's life.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Wong Family Benevolent Association Scholarship Fund, C/O Joseph J. Wong, 10 Griggs Road, Brookline, MA 02446. Gock Han and Wah were instrumental in establishing this 501(c)(3) Scholarship Fund to advance the education and training of Wong and Chinatown children.
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