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Go and Gong Family Narratives

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The Go and GongFamily Narratives

2017

Shared from the memories, opinions, or perceptions by the descendants of

Go Dig Fong and Woo Hing Go

DISCLAIMER:


The family accounts are personal narratives from the descendents of # 5 to share. Every contribution was accepted on good faith that the story would be authentic. There was no fact finding. The narratives are for you to enjoy, and discover what is in your gene pool. Happy reading!

Dedicated to our venerable forbearers

With love and respect

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Preface

As we planned the 2017 reunion, family recipes and stories were requested from the descendents of Number 5 (Go Dig Fong) to recognize our diversity as well as our genetic link to the Go/Gong family heritage. These narratives and recipes are inherent components of our ancestry. The lives and experiences of each Go/Gong member are connected by threads that have been woven into our family tapestry.

The narratives and the recipes are also primary sources that validate from where we started, and the people we became. For these reasons, our chronicles must be preserved, and are now safeguarded in the Go/Gong

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family website for public access. Thank you to everyone for your contribution.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Recollections from Kathy Go Ang

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Memories from Kong Go (2009 Reunion) from Kathy Ang

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Remembrances of My Mother, Woo Hing Go and Father, Go Dig Fong 12By Nice Cho

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Remembrances of My Mother, Woo Hing Go by Nice Cho 13

My Life by George Go 16

In Memory of Mr. Kong Go, Founding Father of the FYA Scholarship Program 21

My Grandma, Woo Hing Go by Susan Go 23 Story of Grandma by Jan Jue

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The Mawanda Project by Michelle Jue

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How it was With Frankie Kong

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Journey Back into Time as told by Beverly Owyoung

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My Father Gong Ting Fong by May Wong

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My Mother Gong Ding Song by May Wong

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Go Gong Reunion 2017– Recollections from Kathy Go Ang –

May 2017

Recollection #1Grandma, Woo Hing Go, would live with us from time to time, rotating among her six

children.

Circa 1961.Our family, the Kong Go family, moved from Concord, CA to Oakland, CA when I was in

Kindergarten. We lived in the back of Paul’s Market, a little neighborhood market that

my Mom ran. I was going to start going to a new school in Oakland, Sequoia

Elementary School.

Grandma was living with us then.

Grandma would walk me to school and walk me back home. It was about a 15 minute

walk each way. She obviously could see and did not use a cane. She made it a

pleasant walk together, and at about half-way, we liked to stop by to see the horses

through the fence at the Fred Finch home.

At home, we would play with Playdoh together, and she would always make half-moon

shaped dumplings, pleating the edges just perfectly.

Recollection #2Fah Yuen Chong Sen Tong aka Fah Yuen Benevolent Association,

647 Jackson St., in San Francisco Chinatown. Circa 1960’s.

Growing up, we seemed to spend a lot of time here. My Dad, Kong Go, seemed to have

meetings there every weekend, as he was an officer and served in many capacities,

including English Secretary. So we would tag along.

We would frequently see Go Gong relatives there. Whenever Fah Yuen people would

be in San Francisco Chinatown, they would stop by Fah Yuen Chong Sen Tong and

invariably they would find someone they knew there. It was a welcoming and

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comfortable gathering place for people from Fah Yuen County, Guangdong Province,

our roots in China.

From street level, there was an entrance and then you would go up the stairs to the

second floor. Reaching the top of the stairs, there was always lots of commotion, people

talking, drinking tea, TV blaring, and possibly a meeting going on.

From the top of the stairs, we’d go left down the hallway to the Ladies Lounge. Chairs

would line all four walls of that room and it was often filled with Chinese ladies catching

up on the latest and sharing news of their lives and families. Some lived nearby in

Chinatown, some came from the East Bay, or from the Valley. I’d go past them and use

the little girls’ room.

Going back out past the big meeting room, there was a big window facing Jackson St.

You could go outside from there onto a narrow balcony which was perched directly over

the sidewalk on Jackson St. Some of the older boys liked practicing some of their

pranks and antics from that balcony, like seeing who could spit and hit someone’s head

as they walked on the sidewalk below. Don’t know if they ever hit their target or not.

Back on the street level, there was an alley to the left of the entrance. Another place the

boys hung out. It was the perfect place to blast firecrackers during Chinese New Year.

One Chinese New Year, I remember Uncle Herbert trying to make a path through the

crowded streets so all of us could get up close to the parade route. He called out in

Chinese, “Hot water coming through! Hot water! Get out of the way!” It seemed to work!

Across the street from Fah Yuen Chong Sen Tong was Jackson Café, a Chinese-

American café, at 640 Jackson St. We’d go there after the meetings for something to

eat. I always had my eye on the refrigerated glass display behind the counter. The

shimmering red, orange or green jello cubes with a dollop of whipped cream in sundae

glasses were so enticing. Not sure if I ever even ate them, but they sure looked good!

At the top of the Fah Yuen building is a plaque that says “1955”. I assume this was the

year the building was built. Same year that Disneyland opened and the year I was born.

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Recollection #3My Romantic view of Farm Life. Circa 1960s.

I lived in the city, in Oakland, but I loved the fact that my Go relatives had farms and

grocery stores in the Central Valley and Southern California.

On our road trips to Orosi and Cutler to visit Dai Goo Mo, Auntie May and Auntie Tai

and families, I would be hypnotized by the miles upon miles of neat rows of crops and

orchards we would pass by.

I had a romantic view of farm life, not recognizing at the time how hard farm life really is.

I always secretly wished that one of my Auntie’s would invite me to work on the farm for

the summer, but that never happened.

Recollection #4Chinese Banquets in San Francisco Chinatown. Circa 1960s.

We went to a lot of them. Big banquets with many hundreds of people. They were

usually Go Gong relatives. There were so many relatives, I really didn’t know who was

who. My Dad would just say, “This is my cousin, so and so.” And it was just a big

jumble of people in my mind.

Of course, everyone would meet up at Fah Yuen Chong Sen Tong first.

Then go to the banquet. Far East, Four Seas, Empress of China – they had the capacity

to serve hundreds of guests.

As a kid, it seemed like we would sit and wait…forever…before the food came out.

People would mingle. Then there were speeches. Lots of speeches. In Chinese first.

Then some in English. My Dad, Kong Go, was often asked to give a speech in English.

Occasionally, my Mom, Fay Go, would be asked to do one in Chinese. Donations to the

Fah Yuen Chong Sen Tong were made.

But we’d usually stay occupied playing with the other kids and have snacks on the table,

like peanuts in the shell, flat black watermelon seeds, Chinese candies, and Belfast

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Sparkling Cider. I liked the sparkling cider on ice. It was special. We never got it

anywhere else.

There was a Seagrams 7 and Lucky Strike cigarettes on the table too, but of course, we

didn’t touch them. Sometimes, cigars, as well, for the men to smoke.

We could tell the adult relatives would be talking about us kids, looking at us and

pointing at us, trying to figure out which kids belonged to which adults. Lots of times

people thought I was part of Auntie Nice’s family. Maybe because we frequently sat

together.

And then we’d eat some incredible 10-dish feast that we would just take for granted.

Bird’s nest or Shark’s fin soup, Peking Duck, whole chicken with the head on. Of

course, it was standard for the kids to play with the chicken head.

Recollection #5 A visit to Auntie May and Uncle Herbert’s farm. Circa late 1960s.

Not sure which farm this was, but it was always great to explore the farm. On this visit,

we went in to explore a big wooden shed.

A big bumblebee or wasp attached itself to my upper lip and stung me really bad. It

swelled up like crazy.

Auntie May put a salve of baking soda and water on it for me. It was soothing, but I felt

ridiculous with this giant lip.

Recollection #6 Weekend visits to Auntie Nice’s Curtis St. house. Circa 1960s.

It was a lot of fun going to Auntie Nice’s house. Our cousins Arthur, Diane, Joanne,

Andrew and Marcia were close in age to me and my sibs Christine, Matt, Ben and Rob.

Joanne and I were just one year apart so we were a naturally paired up to be

playmates. We would play together and sometimes stay overnight at each other’s

houses.

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Auntie Nice’s house smelled like coffee. She always had coffee going because Uncle

Orrin liked coffee. I remember one time he put a spoonful of ice cream into his coffee.

What a brilliant idea! And he liked to go fishing and to baseball games, something our

family didn’t do, so I thought that sounded like fun.

Everyone would always say how Auntie Nice’s name was perfect for her because she

was so nice! And she was!

She made matching corduroy jumpers with patch pockets for me and my sister Chris.

How did she find the time to sew for us when she had five kids of her own to care for? I

loved that jumper.

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Memories from Kong GoWritten Aug 2009

Submitted by Kathy Go Ang

My dad wrote these for the 2009 reunion.

I believe they may have been read by the MC's there that day.

Kathy Go Ang

Story #1 circa 1920s-30s:My Dad, Uncle 6 and Uncle 7 were all up at sunup, worked all day and came home at

sundown. After sundown, they would pack produce. They would get ready to take the

produce into Madera and all the small towns in the valley, and Uncle 6 would go to the

Fresno market.

My Mom, she was a hard worker too. She would cook for all the people on the farm and

the family. We had a lot of single workers, men, on the farm, and she would wash their

clothes and mend their clothes for them. I have say she was also very patient.

We kids had lots of fun on the farm.

One time my cousin William and I climbed a barbed wire fence around the railroad

tracks. William made it over, but my left ankle got caught on a barb and I got stuck. I

still have a scar to prove it today.

All the women, wives of Uncles 5, 6 and 7, would help cook at Quong Shang Yuen (The

Big Farm). The men would eat first; they took up about 1 or 2 tables. The children

would eat last. A typical meal for us children would be fish broth, fish oil on rice and

maybe some vegetables.

Sometimes we had a hired cook too. Jan Gaw was one of the hired cooks. We had fish

day in and day out. Carp. Everyone got sick of eating fish.

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We cooked with wood. My job was to chop wood from broken boxes and feed the fire.

In Merced, some of the workers would net fish from an irrigation ditch. They’d get lots

of fish. It was illegal to fish that way.

Story #2 circa 1940:My father was frugal.

One time long ago, I was going to Fresno State College and was rooming in Fresno.

My roommate sold me on the idea of buying his car for $50. I was gullible and acted

positively immediately. I did not consult my Dad first.

I drove home merrily that day and surprised my father that I had bought a car. My dad’s

questions were “Why?” and “What for?” I was not prepared for the barrage of questions

from my dad.

I agreed and told my roommate that I could not buy it now. My roommate said a

bargain was made and he said he would take the car back for one half the cost, so I lost

$25.

My dad was right. I did not need the car.

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Remembrance of my Mother, Woo Hing GoAnd Father, Go Dig Fong

by Nice Cho

On 08/09/56, Mother returned to the United States. So much changed since she had

been away for 19 years. We had television and hot water. She flew in an airplane for

the very first time. After the long flight, she wanted to take a bath, and she said to me,

“please boil some water for my bath.” She didn’t know we had water heaters and we no

longer boil water to bathe in aluminum washtubs as we used to. She adjusted to

"modern-day" life and was so happy to be reunited with her family. Mom spent 43 years

in China and 40 years in the United States. Her best years were spent in the end in

Gum San with her children and their families who cherished her and will always feel her

presence as we do today.

Remembrance of My father, Go Dig Fongby Nice Cho

In 1944, I was driving on Highway 99 to visit my friend, Mabel Da Silva regarding

attending San Jose State. I was driving a flat bed truck (that’s all we owned at that

time). A highway patrolman stopped me to check for my license. I told him I never had

a license but have been driving for many years. He gave me a ticket and advised me

go to see a judge. My father took me to the court house carrying a crate of cauliflower

to give to the Judge who said, “Hi, Charlie”. Evidently he knew my Dad as Dad has

been selling vegetables in this town for a long time. The judge fined me one dollar and

said to my Dad: “take your daughter to get her license.” Dad took me to get my license

and the inspector said “Don’t you have anything better to drive”? I told him no. It is

understandable that the inspector asked that question, as the driver side had a

cushioned seat but the passenger side seat was broken and repaired with hammered

wooden boards without any cushion. Most important though, I passed my driving test

and got my license.

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Remembrance of my Mother, Woo Hing GoAugust 30, 2009

By Nice Cho There was no one like her. She was so sweet, so quiet, a peaceful loving and caring

person. She was also very hard working. In the farm she had to cook for the workers.

Although there were other cooks, she was the most dependable one, and she did not

complain when other cooks couldn’t cook for whatever reason. She was very

accommodating and often took on more responsibilities than was probably good for her.

She, like other members of the family had children to care for too. She tells me and

May that she believes the smoke from the cooking contributed to her eye problems.

May said she used to help Mother by keeping the wood and fire burning under the big

wok. Life was very hard for her, caring for her children, working in the fields planting

and harvesting vegetables, and cooking for so many. But she did not complain. The

farm life was like working in a commune with whole crew of workers and farm families.

When 6th Aunt passed away, it was very hard on Quai and family, but May and Mom

were very supportive to them, and this made it hard on Mom. Mom would always

shoulder more responsibilities whenever she saw the need, and sometimes this was

very wearing on her, but she never complained.

Maybe that is the reason she wanted to get away to an easier life and return to China in

1937, and she missed her parents. Her return to China was a happy time for her when

she was reunited with her mother, father and her brother (Ying’s father) and her sister-in

law. Mom and Dad went back to build their proud 4 story retirement home. The war

came and we had to leave China in 1938. Mom was not able to return to the United

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States because her immigration paper lapsed and she could not come back with the

rest of the family.

In 1956, after applying for twelve months, Mom was allowed to return to the United

States. It was quite a day for all of us to see her. She came to our house in Berkeley

since it was closer to San Francisco where she landed. It was a long and tiring trip. She

asked me to boil some water so she can take a bath. She didn’t know about water

heaters and that we no longer use aluminum washtubs for bathing.

Being away for 19 years, Mom was most happy to be back in a country where all her

children and grandchildren reside. Mom had an excellent memory. She could tell you

the names (in English and in Chinese) of all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren,

and their birthdays, even those who were born before she came back to the U.S, and

even after she became blind. It was amazing for someone who had no formal education

in English nor Chinese.

My mother had a hard time finding clothes that would fit because she had such a wide

waist and was short waisted. I used to take her to buy fabrics and sewing patterns, then

sew her dresses or alter some to fit her wide waist.

I remember taking her to Dr. Thompson, the dentist located on University Avenue in

Berkeley for extractions of her remaining bad teeth and getting a complete set of new

false teeth. She had a hard time adjusting to them and had to return to Dr. Thompson

many times for adjustment. Good thing Dr. Thompson was as patient as Mom.

Mom had a bad fall and broke her hip. She was admitted to Herrick Hospital in

Berkeley. Of course she didn’t like it there since she didn’t speak English. The nurses

told me to tell her not to get out of bed on her own, and I told her what they said, but

Mom said she needed to go to bathroom and could not wait and of course she could not

communicate.

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Kong was taking Mom to the eye Doctor for poor eyesight and glaucoma. The Doctor

advised surgery but Mom did not want surgery. It could be the last experience in the

Herrick Hospital that made her decision. By the time she gave in to wanting surgery,

her eyesight got worse and it was too late. Sadly, she became blind in mid-1960’s.

She rotated living with her children from 1956 to 1973. Her last home was at 1422

Curtis Street in Berkeley. These were happy times for her. It was Mom’s first home

upon stepping off the airplane and the last home she resided in. Mom slept in the same

room with the girls, Diane, Joanne and Marcia. She later moved to the downstairs room

close to the bathroom. We had a list of assignments for every day of the week taped to

the refrigerator door for everyone to sign up for different ways to take care of Mom,

including dressing her, washing her up morning and night, taking her for walks. This

way we made sure she got at least 2 walks a day, and that she was well-attended to.

We took turns walking her to visit Charlie Gong and his wife who lived down the street.

They enjoyed reminiscing about old times in Madera.

Mom entered the convalescent home on Potrero Street in San Francisco in her last

year. At that time, I was working for Social Security on Ashby Ave in Berkeley. Mom

looked forward for my visits and I made a point of being with her twice a week. She

liked me to draw hot water to bathe her feet and give her warm sponge baths. Diane

continued to visit her pawpaw often after SF State, and helped massage her joints,

wash up and wash her dentures and also feed her sponge cake that is I used to bake

and which Mom loved to eat. In 1973, Mom spent her last Christmas at our house.

In late 1974, Mom entered the Chinese Hospital and passed away peacefully. We will

always remember her. Bless her kind and loving heart.

From Nice Go Cho, number 4th daughter who was almost given away had it not been for

sister May who cried so much that Mom changed her mind.

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My LifeBy George Go

I had a good life growing up on a farm in Madera, California. I started helping in the

fields when I was around 7 years old with weeding and thinning out the vegetables. All

the kids had to help. But I knew that after working on a Saturday morning, Uncle # 6

would take us to town to see a movie and get ice cream. So I didn’t mind working on

Saturdays.

My dad was Go Dig Fong. My mom was Woo Hing Go. I am their youngest of 8

children. They were always busy working in the field. My brothers and sisters were

always working with them or working someplace else. When my mommy was not

working in the field, she was helping in the kitchen or taking care of some sick relative.

She was always helping someone because she was too kind hearted and she will go

and help whoever needs help. For instance, when someone had a baby, my mom will

go help for a week or two, and leave me home along with my sisters. I was home alone

a lot because I was too little to work in the field or to go help in the kitchen. I didn’t like

being home alone, and I missed my brothers and sisters, and Mommy. One time I

played with her pots and pans and dented them so she got mad at me. So my mommy

locked me in the closet for punishment. I did not like being in a dark closet by myself.

When I was 9 years old, my parents, 2 big sisters, and I went to China because Mommy

wanted to see her elderly parents. I had to attend 4th grade in China during that year. I

also met my grandparents for the first time. They were farmers too. So farming runs in

the family. After a year in China we returned back to Madera to the big farm with Uncle

6. My mommy and Auntie Nice stayed in China.

We had to get along without Mommy for the next 8 years. My big sisters Tai and Nice

helped me wash my clothes, and they made my meals. They took care of me, and

made sure I took a bath once a week, went to school, and did my homework. They

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became second mothers to me. My brother Kong came from college during the

summer, but then he joined the Army so we didn’t see him for a long time.

When I was around 12 or so, my daddy left the big farm, and with Herbert and Shing,

rented 30 acres of land from a fellow named Cunningham. We planted lettuce, carrots,

radishes, and a lot of other vegetables. It was during World War II when a lot of farmers

went overseas so there was a shortage of farmers and food. The government sent all

the food to the military, and a lot of things were rationed so the boys could get what they

needed. People on the home front were supposed to grow their own food in Victory

Gardens.

Once, my daddy took a load of lettuce to sell to Safeway. They offered my daddy 5

cents each for each head of lettuce. But my daddy wanted 10 cents each because my

daddy knew Safeway paid the white farmers 10 cents. When Safeway refused to pay us

what they paid the white farmers, my daddy did not sell it to them. He took the lettuce

home and dumped the load in the ditch. Daddy refused to let them treat him differently

just because he was Chinese.

He took me to another store to sell radishes. Daddy told me to go over the stock in the

store, straighten out the radishes, and pull out the old, wrinkled ones. I asked him, “Why

should I do that when those radishes weren’t even ours?” Daddy said to make the sale;

we had to be better than the other farmers. That meant we had to provide a service the

other farmers didn’t give them. Because I cleaned out the old radishes, that store

bought all the radishes we had. Daddy told the manager that if he only bought radishes

from us, we would clean out the stock weekly, and replace it with new stock for free.

That is how my daddy did business, and Daddy taught me to make sales, I had to give

the buyer better service. Knowing this paid off later in life when I had my own business.

I survived the other grocery competitors because I offered services they did not offer.

My dad made me work an hour in the fields before school, and I had to work after

school everyday. I didn’t enjoy working in the fields, but I didn’t know my father was

teaching me good work habits.

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Daddy could not read or write English so he figured a way to get his driver’s license.

Whenever it was time to renew his license, he took cigars to the DMV, and passed one

out to each person. Then he walked out with a renewed license.

Another thing my daddy taught me was to be frugal because you never know what may

happen in the future. He taught me to save money for those lean times. The economy is

bad, and there is going to be another depression. The younger generations don’t think

or know how to plan for the bad times that are coming. All they do is spend, spend,

spend and don’t save anything for later.

I remember one time my cousin asked my daddy to loan him some money. My daddy

told him to go out in the field to pick the green beans and sell them, and then he would

have the money he wanted to borrow. My cousin refused to pick the beans. My daddy

would not make it easy for my cousin and just hand him money. Daddy wanted to teach

him a lesson on how much hard work it takes to earn money.

When I graduated from high school in 1946, I wanted to go to college like my big

brother, Kong, and big sister, Nice. My grades were good, and I wanted to be an

architect. But my daddy told me that as long as I worked hard, I would always have a

job. So, I didn’t go to college. Instead I went to China with my daddy to see Mommy. Big

brother Kong went with us also. Daddy wanted us to find a wife in China.

Big brother Kong and I went to Chinese school in China to learn the language. We

traveled on a sampan to go to school everyday. Our teacher was Mr. Kong. Imagine my

surprise when I found him living in San Gabriel a few years ago! Kong and I visited him

a couple of times. He recently passed away at the age of 106.

My mommy had a list of 10 girls that she approved of for me to marry. My cousin

George Doo went along with me to meet each of them. We both thought one girl, Fong

Woo, was the prettiest, so I chose to marry her. My brother Kong met a girl in the city

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where he had a job teaching at a university. First, Kong married Faye, and they had a

big wedding in the city. A few months later, I married Fong in December 1948 in the

village. Three hundred people came to my wedding. Fong sat in a decorated marriage

sedan on poles, and was carried to our village by 4 guys. She wore a big decorated box

on her head with strings and beads that weighed about 5 pounds.

After we married, we didn’t go on a honeymoon. Fong moved into my daddy’s house

and began helping with all the chores that needed to be done in that big house. She

helped with the cooking and cleaning, and worked in the garden. It was her job to serve

my parents their meals and tea whenever they wanted. That is the Chinese custom for a

daughter-in-law. Fortunately, my wife was a good and hard worker.

In 1949, the civil war spread, and the Communists invaded Southern China. There were

stories that the Communists plundered and ravaged the cities they seized. People were

scared, and began leaving China to go to whatever country would take them.

Fong and I decided to leave China for America, and I began the paperwork to take her

with me to America, I wanted Mommy and Daddy to come with us, but they thought

Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party would block the Communists.

There was news that the Communists would eventually get to Fah Yuen, attack, and

ransack our village. We heard a lot of scary stories. But Mommy and Daddy didn’t

believe the Communists would bother senior citizens. So they stayed believing they

would be safe.

Fong was very fortunate to have been given a visa to leave China. It was iffy since the

American quota only allowed 100 Chinese into the U.S.A. annually. We flew to America

in September 1949. Things in China at that time were not good. Chiang was defeated,

and Mao became the leader of the People’s Republic of China.

We received news that Mommy and Daddy suffered after their village was taken over,

and my daddy died at the hands of the Communists in March 1951. On the day he died,

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our baby, Susan, howled all day, and Fong and I couldn't figure out the reason. Later,

when we found out the date of Daddy’s passing, we think that Susan cried because

somehow she knew something tragic happened to her beloved grandfather.

If you want to know about my life as a grocery man, you can read all about me in the

2016 Gum Saan Journal published by the Chinese Historical Society of Southern

California.

\

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In Memory of Mr. Kong Go,Founding Father of the FYA Scholarship Program

Submitted by Kathy Go Ang

Editor’s Note: Reprinted below is an article written in 2011 about Mr. Kong Go, one of the founding fathers of the FYA scholarship program. Kong Go suffered a debilitating stroke several years ago. He passed away on Father’s Day, June 15, 2014, and fortunately, his family visited him during the annual celebration.

(In honor of our Fall Quarterly Magazine detailing college-bound scholarship awardees, we highlight one of the founding fathers of the annual Fah Yuen Association program, Mr. Kong Go, still volunteering his time and imparting much wisdom in the East Bay community. Both Jimmy Gong and I interviewed him at his favorite dim sum restaurant in El Cerrito in early May 2011.)

Like many first generation immigrants, Kong’s parents dreamed of coming to America, making their “pot of gold”, and returning to China to retire in comfort. This they fulfilled while farming in the central valley town of Madera, raising six children along the way. Similar to that of many families, Kong worked in a grocery store and it was his father who had ambitions to operate a family owned grocery store. Ever the curious young man, Kong wanted to attend college, and reluctantly, his father relented. Kong’s desire to attend college and his eventual career as a civil engineer was inspired by his visit to the county surveyor’s office in Madera County where, upon the urging of his grammar school principal, he learned what land surveying was all about and how to prepare for the profession. So, acquiring a four year BS degree in civil engineering with a three year intermittent “on the job training” stint in ithe Army’s Forestry Engineer’s unit during WWII.

After graduation, Kong accompanied his father to China to visit his mother. While on board the ship sailing to China, he met a UC Berkeley alumnus who persuaded him to teach in Lingnan University’s Engineering

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Department in Canton. With much reluctance, Kong took the contract and taught among other classes, geophysical engineering. This experience proved invaluable, as it not only reinforced his early childhood notion that education is the gateway to success but also planted idea years later that would benefit children whose parents were from the Fah Yuen village.

Returning from China with his new bride, Kit Fay Go, Kong was employed at Kaiser Industrials as a civil engineer where he worked on many local, county, state, and national infrastructure projects such as water, sewage, drain, and road construction, in addition to the Tennessee nuclear power plant. Eventually, while employed at Kaiser and he and Kit raising five children, he held several part time job simultaneously, as an insurance agent and stockbroker.

Kong benefitted from a life of hard work, desire to raise a healthy and loving family with his wife Kit, and fortuitous career paths that afforded a comfortable life style. And with these life circumstances, he wanted to give back in some small manner to future generations. Thus, he was recruited to join Fah Yuen Association and eventually was elected English secretary. In 1973, along with Tom Sin Gun Gong, both directors founded the high school scholarship program. This program was inspired by Kong’s experience teaching at Lingnan University in Canton, China where he noticed college students struggling to enter and complete their undergraduate study program. That first year, $10,000 in scholarship grants were handed out and it has increased gradually to the current sum of $25,000, distributed to needy and entering freshman students to colleges and universities throughout the United States. A secondary reason behind the program was to encourage the younger generation of association members to eventually participate in the association, hence, furthering the legacy of our village forefathers.

In summary, Kong Go is to be commended for his vision in not only contributing financially to successful future generations of FYA members, but

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also to think about a plan of action to extend our family association’s membership.

My Grandma, Woo Hing GoBy Susan Go

When I was 6 years old, my mom, brothers, and I took a train to the north from

Pasadena, CA. Eventually, we were at the San Francisco airport and were re-united

with my dad and all the relatives. Everyone was talking about a grandma aka Lao-Mah.

But I had no idea what a grandma or a Lao-Mah was. Next thing I knew, I recall

everyone surrounding an elderly woman, and she was instructed to sit in a chair. All the

children formed a line in front of her. An adult (Auntie Ching?) stood next to Grandma,

and as each child reached the front of the line, our name and our parents’ names were

announced. When it was my turn to be in front of Grandma, I saw a smiling lady, and

she seemed gentle, but I was still baffled about whom a Grandma was.

Later that summer Grandma came to visit us when we lived in Northwest Pasadena.

One day my mom took us to downtown Pasadena. My mom took my brothers to

Diamond Market where my dad worked, and Grandma took me to the Kress’ 5 and 10

cent store. Next Grandma told me to pick out whatever I wanted and she would buy it.

Never in my whole life had anyone ever asked me what I wanted! I could not believe my

good fortune! I chose a plastic coin purse, and after Grandma purchased it, she added a

dime inside before giving it to me! I thought what a very nice lady Grandma is. But I still

didn’t know who a Grandma was.

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In June1958, while helping stock onions in my parents’ store, I had an accident, and

lacerated my foot. My dad took me to the emergency room, and I went home a few days

later with my foot and leg in a cast. It didn’t look like it would be a very fun summer. I

thought I would have to spend the next couple of months in solitude at home. Then one

day, Uncle Kong, Auntie Faye, Christine, Matt, and Kathy showed up with Grandma. It

was exciting to see all of them, but I still didn’t know who this Grandma was or why she

was with my aunt’s and uncle’s family. They must have come after Rose’s and Billy’s

marriage as they showed me the dress that Christine wore in their wedding. After a few

days, everyone except Grandma left. For the next month, I was Grandma’s shadow

while she did chores around the house. She told me stories and answered all my

questions. Then, one day while Grandma was making hot dogs for lunch, I heard my

father address Grandma, “Ma!” Then it dawned on me. Grandma is my dad’s mom!

Then I understood who Grandma was.

Grandma stayed with us off and on annually over the next 15 years. She was always a

pleasure to have around. Although I am not sure she had much fun staying with us after

she was up in age, and had limited mobility, I never heard her complain. She was

probably bored out of her skull as my parents hired an Anglo woman to take care of her

during the day while we worked or went to school. When my other grandma visited, they

talked for hours---probably complained about the absence of a Chinese social life.

When we came home after the store closed, the house was raucous; there were ear-

deafening sounds of pots and pans rattling in the kitchen, lots of yelling, and the t-v was

on full blast. Never did I hear her raise her voice. She also never complained about the

meals. (Sometimes the oatmeal I made her for breakfast was lumpy.) Yet, I observed

that Grandma who was visually impaired, and did not understand English, was

perceptive to my family’s activities. Sometimes she became emotional after various

occurrences that involved people in my family. Grandma just knew what people were

doing. Grandma never attended school, and perhaps she was not an academia, but she

was proficient on life and survival.

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My reflections on Grandma’s life were: She was a single mom after Grandpa

went to the U.S.; she braved painful medical treatment on Angel Island; she toiled on

the Madera farm; she lived a peaceful life when she was re-united with Grandpa in

China; she had a precarious encounter with the Communist soldiers; and she escaped

to Hong Kong. This extraordinary woman defined resilience, determination, and grit.

She was a Woo-Gong, and she was my Grandma. When I grow up, I want to be just like

her.

The last time I saw Grandma was at Diane’s wedding. Grandma asked me if I

was married. I expected her (like some of the relatives) to give me a piece of her mind.

When I told her I was married, she smiled.

Story of GrandmaBy Jan Wong Jue

The most memorable event in my life with Grandma was when I was 4 or 5. So

that was 1962 or 1963. The story was that I was pushing Dick in the stroller and

somehow the stroller collapsed onto my right thumb. Grandma was there and she

rushed me to the bathroom sink where I remember her holding my thumb under the

water and blood running down. She was trying to comfort me and I remember thinking

this really hurts. The water doesn't seem to make it feel any better either. I know she

was trying to help me and I remember thinking I should stop crying. My thumb was

never the same as it was squished and larger then my other thumb to this day.

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The Mawanda ProjectBy Michelle Jue

In July of 2010, through IMPACT and the support of friends & family, Michelle

Jue (daughter of Jan & Larry Jue) had the opportunity to go to Africa on a 25-day

Mission Trip. During this trip, she immediately fell in love with the community, culture,

and country as a whole. While volunteering, Michelle met Bonny Mawanda, a 13 year

old boy, who she continued to stay in contact with after returning to California. Shortly

after, she began emailing his father, Daniel Mawanda and since then, Michelle and

Pastor Daniel have been in continued communication. They regularly emailed pictures,

talked about the joys and hardships of life, and encouraged one another on a regular

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basis. It was clear to Michelle that there were many needs for the children and people in

the town of Iganga, Uganda. Through this friendship, the Mawanda Family's heart for

orphans, and Michelle’s passion for building relationships and making a difference, this

sparked the beginning of "The Mawanda Project".

The mission of The Mawanda Project is to help provide food, housing, medical

attention, education, and the love of a family to the displaced and discarded children in

the country of Uganda. February 2014, Michelle launched

www.themawandaproject.com and began a monthly email newsletter to share the

project’s progress. Since then, they have raised over $20,000 which has been used to

establish MD Standard School (ages 3-16), employ 10 teachers & staff, educate 100+

students, sponsor multiple Christmas parties and Graduation & Speak Days, and

grow/harvest 7+ acres of maize. The Mawanda Project has also partnered with Visions

Made Viable for 501(c)3 tax deductible donations.

Through establishing this organization, Michelle has continually seen God’s

faithfulness. Not only has there been overwhelming financial support for the project,

Michelle has also seen family and friends donate their time and ideas towards the

growth of The Mawanda Project. This past year, family members Joanne Kihara & Erik

Jue joined The Mawanda Project’s Advisory Board, growing the team to a total of 8

people.

On July 12 2017, Michelle & Erik will embark on a 12-day Founder’s Trip to

Iganga, Uganda. The goal of this trip is to oversee current operations, determine

additional areas of growth & development, and create a foundation for future missions

trips. Their team will be working with Daniel Mawanda, MD Standard School Staff, &

visiting various establishments impacted and sponsored by The Mawanda Project (MD

Standard School, maize farmland, local neighborhoods, and Discipleship Worship

Church). The Mawanda Project team asks for your love and support - check out the

website, sign up for the monthly newsletter, follow up on social media:

@themawandaproject, and/or feel free to ask Michelle, Erik, or Joanne to learn more!

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http://www.themawandaproject.com/


How It Was With Frankie KongBy Frankie Kong

I was born in the beautiful town of Madera, Ca. on July 25, 1946. I was named

Francis Kong. I had no middle name just Francis Kong. Auntie Quai Chu, Auntie Nice

Cho, and Auntie May Wong had a meeting of the minds and decided Francis sounded

too feminine. So Francis was my first AKA, I was renamed Frank. My Chinese name is

Gong Jung Sing which meant Gong True Victory. You see, I was born after World War

II, and in celebration of the United States victory, I was named True Victory.

Our family lived in Madera until I was about 5 ½ years old. I distinctly remember

that time frame because of the embarrassing fact of peeing in my pants while in a

Madera elementary kindergarten class. Mom and Dad decided to move to the big city

of Fresno. We would travel every day to Fresno in a vintage 1940’s Chevrolet flatbed

truck or a 1948 Chevy Fleetline. That Fleetline would have been worth a fortune today

in low rider dollars! Every morning on our trips, I would begin eating my breakfast of

oatmeal or congee and by the time we passed by the historic Hacienda Inn Hotel on

Highway 99, I would almost be done eating. It was hard work. I was skinny back then

and did not have much of an appetite.

My Dad was a farmer and was a very proud man. My Dad could neither read nor

write the English language, but he could comprehend the spoken word, and what he

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didn’t understand my mother was able to explain or translate for him. My mother

completed her junior year at Madera High School. When I taught GED, I awarded her

with an honorary high school GED certificate. Considering my Dad’s lack of education, I

am impressed by what my parents were able to accomplish during their lifetime.

They rented truck farms in Fresno until they were able to purchase their own little 20

acre farm on the corner of Walnut and North Aves in Fresno. Later they moved to

Orosi, Ca. to be closer to Uncle Herbert, Auntie May, Uncle So Chun, and Auntie Ching.

Farming was honest hard work. I suffer with terrible allergies or hay fever. I could be

seen carrying rolls of toilet paper in my jean pockets to blow my nose with. I used to go

to the Thrifty Drugs in Dinuba to buy many, many packages of cold capsules or the

generic form of Dristan cold caps. I would find temporary relief using these. These

things would dehydrate my nasal passages, dry out my eye balls, and dry out my mouth

and throat. I don’t even know if they are still legal to sell. I use Claritin now, a little safer

to use, maybe. The summer heat was unbearable with 100+ degrees all so common.

The house was not air conditioned so sleeping at night was also very uncomfortable.

We had cold and frosty winters in Orosi which made for lousy working conditions. There

was always something to do on the farm or my Dad was always able to keep us busy.

What did we grow on the farm? I’m glad you asked.

In the early years we grew what the American consumer would buy such as:

Italian squash, yellow crooked neck squash, summer squash, banana squash, acorn

squash, turnips, mustard greens, red radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, and dry onions.

Later on the farm specialized in oriental and Chinese vegetables such as: loboc, daikon,

moqua, singqua, Chinese long beans, bitter melon, tonga or winter melon, Japanese

pumpkin, gailan, go gay, sah leh or Asian pears, ong choy, bok choy, choy sum, yo

choy and jujube.

When I was about ten years old, 61 yrs ago, I began going to church. I went to

the Chinese Church of the Nazarene. It was a converted old radio and TV repair shop

before becoming a church. Attendance was small like 25 people or less. Auntie May

Wong, Auntie Cam Don, or Pastor Floyd Holly would come by our Fresno farm to pick

me up every Sunday. I remember Grandma Wiese teaching us at Sunday school. I was

an usher and collected the Sunday offering. I was a member of the boys youth group.

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We were called the Trailblazers. It was a fun time to be able to get away from the farm

with the other Christian boys. We did crafts, field trips to San Francisco, Kings Canyon

National Park and did crafts. Pastor Holly taught us about God. He was a wonderful

man. I lost touch with Pastor Holly. God bless you, Pastor Holly.

I was 14 years old when tragedy struck our family. My Sister, Caroline passed

away in a terrible automobile accident. So sad and she was only 21 years old. She was

so young and so full of potential. I will always miss my Sister Caroline. I love you,

Caroline.

My wonderful Dad would chauffeur me to Chinese school after my regular school

was finished for 2 hours each night. My Dad would drop me off at 5 pm and return to

pick me up at 7pm usually in his beloved blue 1955 1½ ton Ford flatbed truck. He was

never late, always on time. He taught me good work ethics, punctuality and the

importance of keeping our Chinese culture.

I was about 16 yrs. Old when I began Chinese school in Fresno. I remember the

school staff placing me into a primary classroom full of 6 to 8 year old Chinese students.

They later reassessed my situation and socially promoted me to an appropriate

classroom.

There came a time when I was chosen by my Chinese language teacher to give

a speech in Chinese in front of a packed auditorium at the Chinese Confucius Church

on Waterman Avenue in Fresno. I phonetically learned and memorized that speech. I

practiced day and night even in the fields while picking squash. My Mom helped me to

practice. I was really, really shy back in those days. So it was something of a big deal

for me. Dustin says I’m still shy. I managed to survive through my Chinese speech. I got

applause and my 15 min of fame.

In 1964, I enrolled into Fresno State College. In those days it was required for

students to take physical education. If you could not swim you were required to learn to

swim. I remember almost drowning my best friend, Joe and myself in the indoor Fresno

State pool. Pete Beidan was my coach, it was scary.

I earned an A.S. degree in electronics from Fresno City College in 1967. With

that piece of paper I was able to get a job at a defense plant called Autonetics in

Anaheim, Ca. I was not quite 21 at the time because I remember a bunch of coworkers

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taking me out to have my first taste of beer. It took a while getting used to living alone

and away from home but I guess I somehow got by.

I was working nights and I enrolled into classes at Cal State Fullerton part time

during the day time hours. I started as an engineering student but later switched to Art.

After many semesters of Art classes, I was able to earn my M.A. in Art. I had my

graduate master’s degree art show at the university gallery. It was titled, “Woven Raffia

Structures”. That was my 15 minutes of glory.

In 1974 I began working full time for 2 years for my Uncle George at George’s

Market in Pasadena. Uncle George taught me to make ground beef and sell hog head

cheese, ham hocks and beef brains. I remember Auntie Fong as a very strong woman.

Auntie Fong made the best broiled porterhouse steaks. I love and miss you, Auntie

Fong.

From 1976-1978 I went back to Orosi to share crop on my parent’s farm. In 1978

I moved to Visalia and started school at the Visalia College of Beauty. I earned my

cosmetology license in 1979. I did not use it much except to cut and perm my

daughter’s hair. My daughter, Camille was born in 1981.

I worked at Bayly Corp and Kawneer Co in Visalia. These were night jobs which

allowed me to take young Camille to school and back and do other errands. I worked

4pm till midnight. The future at Kawneer did not look too rosy. So I decided to return into

education.

In 1991 CDCR was in dire need of teachers for their 32 state prisons. Armed with

2 teaching credentials I went to the job fair where the representative said I would need

to get an additional multiple subjects credential. I was able to get that credential so

apply with the state, a process that took time. The state never does anything quick.

When called in for the interview, I was sort of a nervous wreck. Did I tell you, I was very,

very shy? I was going before the prison warden, associate warden, principal, and vice

principal. This was the first time I even set foot inside of a prison. I said a prayer from

the Bible.

“If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Do not fear, for I am with you; do

not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.”

Praise the Lord! I got the teaching job! 15 minutes of glory! Praise God!

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The first 8 months on the job I dared not to tell my parents of my new job for fear

of what they would say to my teaching at Corcoran State Prison. I was pleasantly

surprised they were not upset by it.

In 1996 I was corresponding with Sing Lai Chan who lived in Hong Kong. One

day out of the blue she came to visit me. It was a miracle. The Lord had brought me my

Guardian Angel. We were married September 1997. She has been my blessing from

the first day that I met her. She is full of love, and goodness. I have seen her help

numerous people, people she hardly knew even those who were evil trying to find

goodness from everyone. She is called Lilli, and she is the love of my life.

Lili was there on July 13, 1998 when I had my terrible automobile accident. She

was there when we gave birth to my only son Dustin on July 21, 1999. She was there to

convince Camille and Chris to get married. She was there at both my parents’ death

bed to lead them to Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Amen!

I have a beautiful granddaughter and grandson now!

Life is good! God is good.

Jesus Loves You!

Have you found Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

If not, it’s not too late.

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Journey Back Into TimeAs told by Beverly Kong Owyoung

Kathy Ang* (my 1st cousin) had asked me many years ago to chronicle my life on

the farm with our Grandfather Go Dig Fong*. Kathy knew my brother and sisters were

the only grandchildren who knew our grandfather on the farm located in Madera, CA.

My grandfather was a robust man and we never really knew him and only intermingled

with him at the dinner table. Fittingly, we are all familiar with the Chinese phrase “To be

seen and not heard”.

I will only write about the things that occurred that I feel are relevant to life on the

farm. Writing this story brings back many memories that have lain dormant throughout

my nearly eight decades of life. It is in the hope of documenting what I remember that I

will leave my children a legacy to remember me by. I have never talked about life on

the farm with them. Although my grandson Abraham* did ask me how life was on the

farm and how different it is compared to life today. I could not share any pictures during

that era of my life, simply because we did not own a camera. As a result, reading this

article is the best way to learn about the story of my life on the farm (diary). Later I will

fast forward to my life as a retiree (with much relaxation- laugh).

The story of my life… I was born on March 28, 1938 in Madera at the Dearborn

Hospital with Dr. Hawkins as the attending physician. I was the oldest of four children of

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Chong and Tai Kong*. I visited Dr. Hawkins’ office many times and was fascinated by

the picture that hung on the wall. It had an optical illusion of a beautiful woman sitting

on a chair and if you stared at it long enough, the black and white picture appeared as a

skull head. I often wondered if any children became frightened upon seeing this visual

phenomenon.

My aunt May* told me that I lived in a house in town with my parents when I was

an infant. I have no recollection of this in my memory. I only remember the period

spent on the Big Ranch and the farm that my Grandfather rented.

My first glimpse of life was on the Big Ranch in Madera. There were many

cottages where the families of Grandfather #5, Granduncle #6 and Granduncle #7 plus

others all lived together in a communal type of village. The main gathering place was a

dimly lit kitchen where everyone ate in different shifts. In retrospect, the communal

village reminded me of migrant labor camps that the Mexicans and Pilipino lived in

during the harvest season in the US.

The #s attached to ends of name indicate the position of the 7 brothers of the

Gong family. My grandfather was the 5th brother in a line of 7 brothers and 2 sisters.

There were many children from my generation of whom I can recall who lived on the Big

Ranch. The lack of modern conveniences on the Big Ranch reminds me of villages

dating back to ancestral days without the luxuries that we enjoy today. Is this actually

the Gold Mountain my relatives were seeking when they left their native China? They

had the impression that they could strike it rich simply by picking up the gold nuggets

from the ground. Even today, the Chinese who come over are disappointed and

eventually return to Hong Kong or China to enjoy a leisure life of nibbling dim sum and

exchanging daily gossip. On the other hand, today there are many people who come

over to the U.S. with the sole purpose to obtain free financial and healthcare benefits

such as SSI (Supplemental Social Security).

Growing up on the Big RanchI used to see Eddie Gong* recklessly drive his father’s car on the Big Ranch with

some kids hanging on and standing on the running board. He was showing off and all

the children marveled at his skill in maneuvering the car.

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On another occasion, we had so much fun running around with balloons drifting

in the air, but one day Donald’s* balloon popped which made him cry. He probably

blamed me.

Another memory is when my sisters, parents, and I visited granduncle #6’s

family. I remember my sisters and I were having a lot of fun roughhousing each other in

a bedroom and all of a sudden, the room became filled with feathers flying all over the

room. I guess it was time to leave and go back to our farm. When things occur out of the

ordinary we seem to disappear from the scene.

Packed produce ready for market was placed on conveyer belts in the packing

shed where it was then loaded onto the trucks for shipment. Farming was a good

source of income especially during the war when there was high demand for produce.

Additionally, many Japanese Americans had been committed to internment camps thus

eliminating our families’ competitor.

My mother used to tell me she walked 10 miles to Ripperdan Elementary School

every day. To me that seemed unbelievable but that’s what she said. On the other

hand, my mother did not complete high school because she was married at age 17 and

began her long partnership with my father. Although she never finished high school she

was very diligent in acquiring knowledge. She would stay up nights reading her

encyclopedia after a long day’s work. She had a zest and thirst on many types of

subjects. She was also taking a Bible correspondence course. Growing up (and even

now) people always told me “you look just like your mother”). In many respects, I am

just like my mother which made us love and respects each other more. The tone of her

voice and our facial expressions are just so uncanny!! Our work habits are much the

same. We pride ourselves in being industrious and we would persevere to the end. After

her passing, I went through volumes of handwritten notebooks of her everyday

interaction (payments, journal entries, etc.). Some of her notebooks contained

handwritten materials on subjects that others are ignorant of. She was very

knowledgeable.. In some respects, I wished I were more like her.

Simple life on Go Dig Fong’s farm

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Later my Grandfather decided to relocate and have a farm of his own. He rented

a plot of land a short distance away from the Big Ranch. He had a long house built on

the land. It had running water in the kitchen, but there was no toilet. To relieve

ourselves we usually sat on a metal bucket or made a trip outdoors to the stinky

outhouse.

We (whoever lived on the farm) would bathe in big galvanized tubs filled with hot

water that was brought in from the kitchen. The children had fun playing ‘peek a boo’

looking through cracks at anyone bathing in the bath house. My grandfather lived at the

very end of the long hall that extended to the end of the building. I can vividly remember

the place and the fun we had as children. For example, we used to have races in big

carton boxes (like a plastic toy car) down the narrow hallway on the bare wooden floor.

Our makeshift car made from a cardboard box was quite ingenious. Creative

imagination leads to inventions. My Uncle Herbert* had many ideas and inventions.

We also had an old crank telephone that included 2 -3 party lines. Sometimes we would

eavesdrop on the party line. The telephone was our introduction to the outside world

and was an important asset on the farm.

My brother Frank* was born during the time we were at the farm. Auntie May*

related a story to me about how she drove my mother to the hospital when my mother

was experiencing labor pains. Auntie May had never driven my father’s Cadillac and

was so brave and determined to get my mother to the hospital before the stork arrived.

She shouldered the burden to get my mother to the hospital otherwise she would have

ended up being the 25 year old midwife. My father was working on the Big Ranch at that

time and was clueless of the entire episode. My father was happy to have a son after 3

daughters. On top of that I didn’t realize that my mother was pregnant until Patricia

Kong* informed me after the fact when I was about 8 years old (I didn’t know too much

about the birds and the bees then). My father and Uncle Herbert* got rid of our Model T

Cadillac by pushing it into the canal. He purchased a Pontiac as a replacement.

A few years later the Department of Public Health quarantined our house because some

of our family had contacted a contagious disease. I remember having chickenpox and

rheumatic fever on the farm.

37


Our Italian neighbor (lived in a beautiful casa) gave me a bouquet of flowers from

her garden and they were the most beautiful flowers ever. I took them to school and

gave them to my 1st grade teacher Mrs. Merry Hillary. She really appreciated the

beautiful bouquet. At the time I was repeating the 1st grade because I couldn’t speak

English fluently. Later, she promoted me to the third grade at end of semester. While

attending Lincoln Elementary I also saw some of the older kids (8 th graders) from the

Big Ranch. Dorothy Young* was always hanging around me and I felt she was bossy.

Our Italian neighbor allowed our family and Auntie May to sit under the spreading

Walnut Tree to do some of our produce sorting and packing because it was so hot

elsewhere. I used to run down to the end of our farm and cross over to another farm

that had a pear orchard. It was so nice…now we don’t even allow the kids out of our

sight or walk to school.

There was a creek running by the house and the kids would play with the

pollywogs and whatever that swam in the creek. The only children that lived in the long

house were my brother and sisters. Grandfather and all his family lived in the long

house with the exception of my Uncle So Chun* and Auntie Ching* and their children.

They were all in China with my Grandma Woo Hing Go*. Uncle Young did not live with

us.

My father carved shoes for us out of a flat piece of wood. He attached a strap cut

from inner tire tube across the top of the “kek” so our feet could stay in place. We would

walk in these and it would go click-clack as we made our way around the house. It sort

of reminded me of Dutch Clogs. They were not comfortable.

It was always so much fun when Patt*, Sherli* and Donald* came over to visit. We

used to walk along the path of the creek where there were lots of eucalyptus groves. I

loved the smell and used to collect the seeds and string them together. We would

pretend we were fishing and just sit and chat.

We were rather isolated from the general public, and I used to entertain myself by

winnowing the chaff from the seed by flipping the seeds in a shallow straw basket and

letting the wind blow the chaff from the seed. Aunt May taught me this. It was here that

I learned a disciplined life. To us it was a world away from the hustle and bustle of the

town.

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We had a flock of geese on the ranch and they would hiss at the kids and scare us

off. We peeled green onions and bunched them with raffia before sending them to

market. Because the onions made us cry, Aunt May told us to clamp a piece of bread in

our mouths and bite down.

We used to pack cucumbers on the big flat bed of the truck and Uncle Herbert

would tell me to work hard and to save my money. I don’t remember getting paid. I

think we were packing the Straight Eight Cucumbers. To this day I still plant that

variety.

I noticed that my father looked so handsome on his horse. The same old horse

was probably used to plow the land, one row at a time. My parents and whoever was

old enough to work on the farm never complained of the hard work that they endured.

My parents milked the cows and we drank raw milk with our meals.

Knowing how kids are we would run around barefooted and one day I must have

stepped on a rusty old nail and Auntie May tied a canned apricot under the lesion on my

foot so that it would heal quickly. This must have pulled the toxins out of the infected

area. Sometimes the folklore medicine works quite well.

I remember my mother and Auntie May always canned string beans. However,

one time, they were dumping beans out of jars because they were afraid they had been

tainted with botulism.

A big pot belly stove kept us warm in the winter. After the embers cooled off my

mother would gather the ashes and use it like Ajax Cleanser. It was a wood burning

stove.

I remembered when I was very young that I was messing with my mother’s treadle

machine. You would never guess!! The needle pierced my index finger completely

through the nail and out the other end. I didn’t know how to remove the needle. (This

has happened 2 or more times). Caroline had to go out to the fields to tell my mother

and Auntie May what happened. Odd, I never cried and it didn’t hurt. Today I have a

passion for sewing. Auntie Nice came home from college and brought some clothing

over to the farm…she needed buttons to be sewn on her outfits. So, I got my first

sewing lesson from her. She is a great seamstress; I can still remember her wedding

dress and outfits that she had made. When we were living at our house in town, Auntie

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Nice made me a pair of pinkish color shorts. They were perfect for summer wear, but

when my father saw it he was really furious. He thought it morally wrong to display our

legs and it never got worn. A short time later some girls in the neighborhood made us

some Halloween outfits. Mine was white and all the costumes were made from crepe

paper. When my father saw it he almost hit the roof. He didn’t mind the other colors,

but white was an indication of death. We never went out to Trick or Treat that evening. I

guess my white ghost gown spooked my father.

My Aunt Nice gave me a few sewing lessons. One day I proudly showed her the

skirt that I made. To her it was probably a disaster, but she didn’t laugh or scold me, she

lovingly and patiently showed me the correct way to attach a waist band to a skirt

because my sewn outfit had all the guts hanging outside the waist band. Reminiscing:

my daughter Allison made the same mistake. I thank Auntie Nice* for encouraging me

to become an accomplished seamstress. Moreover, Auntie May also taught me how to

crochet when I was only a youngster. My mother taught me how to knit. This equipped

me with the skills necessary to create something from a flat piece of fabric or a skein of

yarn or thread. Today, this is rather a lost art because a lot of young people are no

longer interested in home arts.

Life on the farm was carefree and peaceful and we also referred to it as a Victory

Garden. The crops consisted of vegetables and fruits and that was the reason it was

called a truck farm. It was very hard work that our relatives endured to eke out an

existence. I spent my summers out in the potato fields with my parents and uncles and

aunts. We could see the garter snakes slither past us. We spent a lot of time together.

By the time I was eight years old Grandfather and Uncles Kong and George

decided they were going to China to visit Grandmother, and that the boys would search

for their life companions (wives). When my father Chong told us that we were going to

move to a house on 2 acres, he told us not to throw the scraps of food from the table to

the floor for the dogs to lick and devour. That is what we did when we dined, toss what

you don’t eat on the floor and let the dogs have their share of the good food. We swept

the floor later. We were going to move to a nicer place and father wanted us to improve

our dining etiquette.

House in town

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Our new house was adequate and had rambling assortment of rooms that

connected to one another. You have to go through one room to get to the next room. It

doesn’t provide much privacy. The house had running water, but we still had to use the

outhouse (it was a 2 sitter). My father remodeled the house and installed a bathtub,

toilet and a foot bath. He also had to put in a cesspool. We were the first to get a toilet in

this Okie neighborhood. Some neighbors set up a tent to live in. A few years later my

father built a huge garage to house his car and truck. He was a vegetable broker

(peddler who went to outskirts selling fresh veggies and fruit). My mother had the task

of cleaning all the produce from the day’s run on the truck. Before that he did irrigation

for cotton farmers.

Every day after dinner my father would add up the day’s receipt on his abacus. It

was interesting, his fingers would click away and the abacus was very accurate in

addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. There was no need for paper or pencil,

just the skill of the operator. I am the proud owner of his abacus. But have not figured

out how to use it. I guess it beats counting fingers and toes.

Uncle Kong would visit us once in a while and he thought I asked a lot of

questions. He was very patient with us and we consider him the patriarch of the Go Dig

Fong family.

We had free range chickens that were penned up and whenever we entered the

yard they would scatter while we gathered the eggs from the straw nests. Sometimes I

witnessed the chicken laying soft shelled eggs which hardened as it rested on the nest.

My husband (Arthur*) said that was incorrect, the chickens laid eggs with hard shells.

My comment was that laying hard shelled eggs would make the chickens really

constipated. My father used to slit the necks and slaughter the chickens (idiom: the

chicken with its head cut off) and they would run crazy all over the place. He drained

the blood and the lifeless chickens were soaked in hot water to make the feathers

easier to pluck. You can’t get any fresher than that!

One day Uncle Herbert* came back from the river and brought back a big

galvanized tub of snails. The kids only poked and gazed at them. He scrubbed them

nice and clean and the fragrance from the stir fried snails reminded me of the aroma of

stir fried beef with black bean. I did not appreciate them at the time, but now I order

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them whenever escargot is featured on a dinner menu. I have a lot of garden variety

snails in my yard but have not gotten hungry enough to serve them as a meal.

Uncle Herbert* found some new born mice in our house and slit the necks and

drained the blood for a specialty of his or maybe he just drank it. Uncle Herbert grew

lotus plants in a big concrete tank which was filled with water. They were gorgeous

when in full bloom. Auntie May would gather the seed pods to use them for floral

arrangements. This plant is versatile: the seeds are collected and ground into lotus

paste, and the roots (with many holes) are used for making soup or some other type of

delicacy. The leaves were collected to wrap sweet rice tamales. The whole plant was

consumed or used one way or another. The Chinese do not waste anything and will

find a way to use all of the parts of the lotus or chicken etc. There is a beautiful lotus

park in Modesto CA.

When my father was working for the cotton farmers, mother would make him

sandwiches with meat or some other delicacy, but the children had white bread with

only mayonnaise. Most of the time we had white granulated sugar on white bread for

school lunches. Sometimes the school kids would ask why I always ate them.

In school I always wore a short sleeved sweater because I was self-conscious of being

so thin. I always wore a scarf to cover my stringy hair. Whenever Auntie May gave me

a permanent I felt so different and almost pretty. Auntie May also knows how to remove

facial hair by placing string between her teeth and fingers and magically remove

unwanted facial hair. I think this is called Threading now.

Farm in FresnoAfter I graduated from the 8th grade, we moved to Fresno and father rented a

farm from the Capelli family. My father built another house. It had running water but no

toilet. My father did all the electrical work and carpentry. I was helping him on the roof

when all of a sudden I started to slide off the roof and my father grabbed me and pulled

me back onto the roof. Sometimes I think I should have been a boy so I could be my

father’s right hand man. That was scary. He must be my guardian angel. There are

many occasions where he saved the day. When Caroline* and I went to college one

day we ended up with a flat tire and a Good Samaritan helped us change the tire. My

father knew we had a flat tire by the grooves left by the wheel on the dirt drive way. No,

42


this is not the end of the story. My mother and father went to the college in search of

the car. They had the flat tire fixed and returned it to the car. That is a guardian angel

indeed.

My mother was a really hard worker. She used to pack a canister filled with DDT

(drop dead twice) and hoisted it and strapped it on her back and would pump the

insecticide onto the plants from one end of field to the next. That was a lot of exercising

for the arms and a lot of walking the many acres that she covered. The pesticide would

cover her completely from head to foot but she lived to a ripe old age of 90 years. My

father also had an insecticide sprayer that was mounted to his Ferguson tractor. The

sprayer had retracting arms that could be manually folded up as the tractor approached

the end of the farrow and once the tractor made a U turn the sprayer arms were moved

back into position. His tomboy daughter (me) drove the tractor and was warned that as

I approached the end of the field, my mother was going to swing the arms up so that I

could turn the tractor around without breaking the arms. Everything went smoothly and

then it happened!!! I felt so confidant driving the tractor and did not stop at the end of

the row and swung the tractor around and one of the arms hit the fence and it broke off.

I never heard the end of this!!! I was warned many times to be careful. My father!!! I

was warned many times to be careful. My father spent many hours fixing it. He spoke

some Chinese that was not discernable to me. Later I heard the same words in

Sacramento. Arthur said they were not flattering words.

I will conclude the Story of Life on the Farm the way I remembered it. There is

more to tell but the deadline for publication is approaching. Abraham showed a lot of

interest when I was trying to compose this composition and just like me he had a lot of

questions.

I have been married 57 years to Arthur Owyoung and have 4 children and 6

grandchildren. See addendum at end of paper. It may seem like a long time, but in

actuality it has been a virtual vacation.

I spend a lot of my time on my computer. Sorry to say but that is the only

exercise that I enjoy. I am a fan of You Tube searching for many recipes on Chinese

and Asian Cooking. I am trying to replicate some of pastry recipes that Chinese

Families pass on to the next generation. My mother was not fond of cooking but kept us

43


well fed and happy. Now whenever we dine out at a Chinese Dim Sum restaurant I

attempt to make the favorite morsel of food. I rely on You Tube a lot. I have a circle of

friends that don’t mind being test tasters (guinea pigs). My vocation was in chemistry

(17 years) and I really enjoyed working in the laboratory (CDFA). It was just like

home…working in a big kitchen….ensuring the public that the food they consume is

safe. We do not cook or create a dish but we literally break the food down and analyze

for fat, sugar, nitrite contents, pesticides and other components. .

For the past few months I have been taking Clothing /Textile and Chinese

Cooking classes at the Confucius Institute at UC Davis. The rotating staff comes from

China and we learn the authentic methods that are taught in their native country. The

educators stay here for 3 years and a new group of teachers replaces them. They are

very fluent in English.

My other interest is trying to perfect my Chinese Brush Painting. I started in

2006 and am currently enrolled with a fantastic teacher. My life revolves around an

endless search for new things to learn. We are never too old to learn.

When I was 72 I enrolled in a Cantonese Class at the City College. I was given

preferential treatment because of my age. Most of students were from China or Hong

Kong and they did their own thing in class, but I was there to learn and was very

attentive. I did learn a lot but have forgotten most of it.

I am currently tending my mini farm which consists of 3 Earth Boxes, and

constantly encountering a battle with snails, aphid and worms etc. I recently won a

raised wooden vegetable garden bed installed with drip irrigation and trellis for climbing

vines. The unit included top soil, fertilizer and a variety of vegetables planted for us.

American River College landscapers provided us this prize.

My greatest passion is sewing…I started sewing before I was even in school. It

is very relaxing and enjoyable and I like to share what I know with others.

It has been rumored that when a person retires they have a lot of free time but I found

out it was different in my case. Arthur and I started taking care of a grandchild 19 years

ago on the year of my retirement. The time together creates an invaluable bonding that

can never be taken away.

44


Lastly, I am kept busy with 2 Bible Studies. The written words are very

comforting and are reliable. The promises of God are revealed in the Bible.

I have a lot more to enter into my story but I have a deadline to meet and will continue

at a later date.

***Partial list of family tree . * indicates spouse** divorced

Gong Gip Kurg#2 {d}Annabelle Gong (Edward*) Young Both {d} deceased

Dorothy (Wiley) Wong Lum

Go Dig Fong #5 and Woo Hing Go* Both {d}Ching (So Chun*) Chun Both {d}

Raymond (Mary*) ChunWade (Christine*) Wong

Christopher WongCiara Wong

Violet (Doug*) Gong Andrew GongBailey Gong

Rose {d} (Billy*) GongRosalie (Ron*) Lowe

Rhys LoweMelanie (James*) Sung

Kaylyn SungRobbie (Theresa*) Gong

Katrina GongNathanael Gong

Daniel GongBilly (Judy **) Gong

Joshua GongWayne (Winnie*) Wong

Crystal WongWaylon WongDylan Wong

Mary Chun (Kevin Neuhoff*)Young Go {d}Tai (Chong Kong*) Both {d}

45


Beverly (Arthur*) OwyoungDenise (Edward*) Wong

Kendra WongAndrew Wong

Terry OwyoungAllison (Alvin*) Fong

Abraham Fong Jeremiah Fong

Carol (Andrew*) FongAmelia FongBryant Fong

Caroline Kong {d}Amy KongFrank (Robin ** {d}) Kong

Camille (Christopher*) KuvleskyNathan KuvleskyMorgan Kuvlesky

Frank (Lily*) KongDustin Kong

May (Herbert* {d}) Chin Wong Dick (Nira*) Wong

Melissa WongJulie Wong {d}

Jan (Larry*) JueLauren (Brian*) GeeMichelle JueErik JueKianna Jue

Kong Hoy (Kit Fay*) Go Both {d}Christine (Duane*) Dea

Becky (Nick*) FanHailey FanJayden Fan

Katy (Dan*) MatsumotoLucas MatsumotoAbbie Matsumoto

Matthew (Doris*{d}) GoAaron (Korrin*) Go

Kathy (David*) AngBrian AngChristine (Brandon*) Young

Ben (Margaret**) GoJonathan GoNathaniel GoKatherine GoElisabeth Go

46


Robert (Emma*) GoNice (Orrin*) Cho Both {d}

Arthur (Jan*) ChoGreg (Harmony*) Cho

Jaxon ChoKalli ChoAddison Cho

Kris (Tom*) DuffyTommy DuffyCooper DuffyHailey Duffy

Diane ChoJoanne Kihara

Kenneth Kihara Andrew (Gail*) Cho

Devin ChoAlyssa Cho

Marcia Cho/Mike Huston*

George (Lai Fong*{d}) GoSusan Go

Steven RawsonBeth Rawson

Arnold GoAlan (Mazie*) Go

Tracie GoJonathan Go

Michael (Carmela Aquino*) Go Sophia Go

Wah Fong (Haw Shee*) Gong #6 Both {d}Quai (Yun*) Chu Both {d}

Patt, Patricia (Herman*) KongSherli Chu (Rudolf*{d}) MicikDonald (Patricia *) Chu

Wah Fong (Low Shee*) Gong Both {d}Eddie Gong {d}

47


My Father Gong Ting Fong33rd generation of the Gong Family

5th son of Gong Ding Song and wife Jo SheeBy May Wong, aka Auntie May

My father had 6 brothers and 2 sisters, and my father was the 5th son. All 9

children were born in Kuangtung, China in a little village called Lung Woo Jong. My

grandfather was considered a very popular and prosperous man. Because of that, they

soon named the village after Grandpa's nick name, Mun Wor Ding Jong.

In his life time Grandpa built 7 houses; one for each son. In those days he was

considered a very wealthy man and owned land around the village. I am sure Grandpa

and Grandma were very proud of themselves to be blessed with such a big family along

with health and wealth. Today we are very proud of our Grandparents for their

outstanding success and foresight. I am sure Grandpa played a big part in helping his

Number 2 son [my 2nd Uncle] to begin the journey to come here to the Gold Mountains,

which the Chinese called the USA.

Eventually Grandpa had 6 sons who have descendants here in the US except for

number 4 son. Number 4 son was also here for a short time but he thought life (farming)

was too hard here in the USA, and returned to China. He never asked his son to come

48


to the US. Number 4 said that if a person gets a good education, he can make a living

any where. So he gave his son a good education because he did not want his son to

come to the US. That is why number 4 does not have descendants here.

My Dad's 2 sisters do not have any descendants here either.

Today, we his descendants are very proud, thankful, and blessed for our

Grandpa's success. Grandpa worked hard in his day to have been so successful, just

like many of you are hard workers like Grandpa. Because of Grandpa's success, today

we, his descendants, are very grateful to be the recipient of Grandpa's good fortune, for

which we are very blessed. May God continue to bless each and every one of

Grandpa's descendants today and always.

My Dad came to the US on or about 1914, under the name of Go Dig Fong, but

his true name is Gong Ting Fong. I heard he used to say his first job was in a Laundry

business called Hop Lee in San Francisco. He said the Laundry did not pay much, but it

was a place for immigrants like my Dad to stay till he found a job.

So when Mom and my brother Young arrived in the US in 1918, Dad decided to

go to the San Joaquin valley where his number 6 brother Gong Wah was farming

in Madera, and was making a better living than at the Laundry. That is how our father

started to farm. When Dad's little brother number 7 came to the US, Gong Wah decided

we should rent a big farm, and that is how the 3 brothers and families started to farm the

300 Acre Farm.

Then when the 2nd World war started, my Dad asked Tai's husband Shing and

Herbert to start our own farm. Shing and Herbert consented to farm with Dad. In 1942,

Dad rented 10 Acres on Madera Ave, but soon Dad says this acreage is too small. Dad

is very ambitious, and he asked Herbert to go ask Henry Cunningham to see if he would

rent his land to us. This was the same place which Dad farmed 20 years before. Henry

agreed to rent it to Dad again. My Dad was aware the war was going on, and with so

many boys gone to war, there would not be enough farmers to meet the huge demand

for fresh vegetables.

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So now with the two farms we were kept busier than ever. Nice was going to

college, but she came home to help on the farm during her summer breaks. George

was in high school and helped on the weekends. Kong was in the Army and didn't come

home much. Dad was happy we were producing much more crops for the demanding

market.

My Dad was a tireless worker, Tai and I often told him not to work so hard but his

answer was, 'If I do not work, I will be sick.' I really do not know where he gets all his

energy. Dad works and oversees the farm. Then he would deliver his produce to Fresno

and peddle it around Madera 3 times a week, and even went to Chowchilla once a

week.

Now that we were farming 2 farms, we often had to drive back and forth. I often

had to ride with Dad on the truck, bringing the produce home. Dad was a careful, good

driver. All the many years he drove, he never had any big accidents. He just had one

small accident driving up a ditch. A couple of times, as Dad was driving me home from

the Cunningham farm, my Dad was weaving on the road and I saw he had his eyes

closed and I said, Dad you are falling asleep and he said, ‘I do not see any cars coming

and I just closed my eyes for a minute'.

I often wondered how Dad ever got his drivers license as he does not know how

to read or write English, but only knew how to sign his name. Dad is always warm,

honest and friendly with everyone, maybe the inspector just asked him a few questions

and approved of his drivers license. In those days the DMV did not have the test papers

in the Chinese language as they do have today. Dad delivered his produce around town

and seems to know and like everyone he meets. All the grocery stores and restaurants

he delivered to would always give him a happy welcome and calls him Charley or

Bossy.

We were so thankful Dad did as well as he did without Mom here to advise him.

When Mom was here, Dad always asked her for advice. Dad kept so very busy that I

50


think that is one reason he did not miss Mom. But some times he would say, when the

war is over we will all go home to unite with Mom and be happy again.

The 2nd World War finally ended, and in 1947, Dad, Kong, George, Herbert and I

went back to China and were happily reunited with our Mother. While in China, Kong got

married to Fay and George was married to Fong. Then they came back to the US;

leaving our parents in China, as my Mother's visa expired.

I am proud, thankful, and blessed to have such a wonderful Dad. I only wished

that he had more happy retirement years with our Mom in their new home. We will

always feel sad that he departed from this life only a few years after his retirement from

working so long and hard on the farm. We will always remember our Dad’s love and

care for us.

My Mother Gong Ding Song

By May Wong, aka Auntie May

In 1919, my Mother came to the U.S. with my 2 year old big brother, Young, and

left 8 year Sister Ching behind. Dad did not claim he had a daughter (to Immigration),

for some reason. When Mom left China she gave Ching a pair of baby chicks to take

care of so she would not cry, and said, 'I will come back for you.' And Mom used to say,

it was very hard to leave 8 year old Ching behind, but on the other hand, she was

helping and living with her blind paternal grandmother (Ma-Ma).

Mom often wondered how Ching was doing with Grandma. Some times Mom

would get a letter from relatives telling her that Grandma and Ching are coping well.

Mom was happy to hear the good news. Eight year old Ching was already able to take

on responsibilities at her young age like taking good care of her Grandma. She was

always noted as being a very loving, caring child.

During 1918-1937, my mother worked hard to take care of us kids. She had 6 of

us kids in the19 years she was in the States before going back to China. The number 3

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son died in infancy of diarrhea. It is amazing 5 of us lived. And could you believe that

our clever father delivered all of us kids? We lived and we are blessed.

Besides taking care of us, Mom helped with the cooking for a bunch of farm

hands. She and 7th Aunt took turns cooking. After mom finished cooking, she washed

the clothes (by hand) using a wash board. A few years later we shared a ringer washer

with 7th Aunt.

Tai and I helped Mom with what we can. Then Mom will go out to the shed to

bunch carrot, beets and turnips. When we come home from school, we will hurry and

change to old clothes and go out to help Mom bunch produce. Each family has a pile of

boxed produce to bunch. It needed to be done before the day was over, because 6th

uncle had to take the produce to the San Francisco Marketplace.

Mom said the hardest job for her was cooking in the big kitchen on the farm as

Mom's eyes always had problems. In those days we had to burn wood to cook with 2

big woks on a 2 burner stove. One wok was used to boil water for tea, and the other

wok was used for making jook. Mom says the smoke irritates her eyes to tearing up, so

I often helped Mom to stoke the stove to keep the wood burning brightly to avoid more

smoke.

Many people think Mom is always caring and kind and she was. One day a

worker (farm) hand came out early to the kitchen to tell Mom, while she was cooking.

”Do not wait for me to have breakfast, as I do not feel well.” After Mom got through with

all her chores, this worker still did not show up for breakfast, so Mom goes to knock on

his bedroom door, to see how he is feeling and tells him his breakfast is getting cold. He

answers and says, 'I am okay.' Later he tells a friend. Number 5 Aunt is so nice to worry

about me, I really was not sick, I just needed more sleep.

In 1937, after being here 19 years, Mother wanted very much to go back to

China to see her Mom (Pall-Pall) who was getting older, and to see daughter Ching

52


again. The day after we arrived home in China, Raymond was born. Mom and every

one of us were very happy.

Also, Mom was happy see her new 4 story home that Father asked brother

Young to build. Young returned to China earlier as a teenager; ahead of us. The main

reason my parents sent Young back to China right after he graduated from grammar

school was to receive Chinese schooling. It was important to my parents that all of us

children learn Chinese. To be able to learn Chinese was one reason we all went to

China in 1937.

Toward the end of the year the new home was finally finished and brother Young

was married in the new house. Our parents invited the whole village and more to

celebrate Young's wedding to Lorna Ding. My dear brother Young came back to the

States with his wife Lorna and lived in Oregon. Barely 2 years passed and then brother

Young died of tuberculosis in 1939.

We went back to China in 1937--- at the wrong time. Three months later the

Japanese invaded our countryside, and our world was in turmoil. So Dad, Nice and

George came back to this Country (the U.S.) the next year (1938). They left me and

Mom in China, as Mom's visa had expired. I came back to the States 2 years later after

fleeing to Hong Kong away from the village and the Japanese war.

After the 2nd world war, in 1947, Dad, Kong, George, Herbert, and I went back to

China to reunite with Mom and Ching's family. It was a longed for, very happy reunion

but short lived. Then the communist civil war came and Herbert says we have to leave

China. But Dad, Kong, and George stayed with Dad. My brothers wanted to find wives

and marry before leaving China so we missed out on their big wedding parties. Then

Kong came back with his wife Fay on the slow boat, and George and his wife, Fong

came back by plane. Dad did not want to come back to the States, and did not want to

leave Mom again.

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A couple of years later in 1951, the Communists insisted that Dad had hidden his

fortune somewhere and tortured him to tell, but Dad had given them everything which

they did not believe. And Mom had a very bad experience with the Communist. Poor

Dad died a violent death and left Mom desolate. Then Mom's permission to go to Hong

Kong was approved and Mom was glad to leave her home and all the sadness behind.

In Hong Kong Mom was blessed to be taken good care of by Fay's God brother Lum Sai

Hung. Mom felt at ease with Mr. Lum's good caring till 1956. Then we were blessed

and were all delighted when we were finally reunited with Mom again and we were

happy to see her looking so well.

We had some good times together with our Mother after her return to the States

again. We felt very blessed Mom came through the terrible Communist war she had to

suffer through and we are thankful she survived. But she would forever remember the

terrible death of Dad. In the last 2 years of our Mother's life, it was very hard on all of us

to see Mom almost blind, living in the nursing home in the bay area. We were not able

to see Mom very much but she was happy Nice and Diane made it to see her often. Our

dear Mom lived to be 89 years old when she passed away from complications of

pneumonia in 1974. We are forever thankful to God to bless us with a loving Mother.

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