Wai Har Wong 黃翁惠霞

Wai Har was born in 1941 in Hong Kong. Her ancestral home is Shazhoumei Village, Huizhou City, Huidong County, Guangdong Province, China. She was the eldest of five children. She is survived by her children, Petty (Ronald), Iries, Dominic (Willy), Eunice (Edmond), and Vienna (Kwok Chiu), and grandchildren Marcus (Rainbow), Eugenie (Wendell), Jacquelyn, Alexandra, and Joscelyn.

When she was under one year old, her parents brought her to her father's hometown in China because of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong at the end of 1941. During wartime, her birth certificate did not have her name. The lack of food supply caused her night blindness in her early childhood. She hated sweet potatoes because this was most of her food then.

At 2 and a half, she returned to HK. Later, she got a chance to attend school for less than 2 years. Due to the low household income, the family could not afford the tuition, she dropped out of school. Wai Har had no more chances to go to school again. At about 5, her parents worked full-time, but their income was not high enough to hire a nanny to take care of her. They brought her back to China again to be cared for by other family members.

Wai Har returned to Hong Kong when she was 6 years old. She tagged along to work with her mother, a stay-at-home maid. Wai Har had to help out with some light work.

At about 10 years old, Wai Har began her hand-wash laundry side job. Because she could not afford transportation, she had to pick up dirty laundry and return clean laundry to clients on foot. All her earnings were surrendered to her mother.

At age 15, Wai Har saved up some secret money to go to sewing school because she wanted to change her career for a better future. It took her a while to save up $50.00 to enroll in sewing classes. Afterward, she worked in a garment factory to produce denim products until 18 years old.

At age 18, she worked in a cigarette factory for better pay and worked less overtime. Wai Har and Pak Chung met at this factory and started a new chapter of their lives. A year later, the first baby came, and more babies were on the way to make the Wong Family more fulfilled. Even though there were a lot of challenges for this new family, love and support were never missing.

Wai Har always prioritized the family and supported her husband in various ways. She gained housekeeping skills from her childhood, which she applied to real life. Her creative mind and crafty hands helped her put everything in order.

Wai Har made all her children’s school uniforms from kindergarten to secondary school. She would borrow one copy and make her version. She also made new clothing for the children and herself during the Chinese New Year, when they had better financial stability from Pak Chung’s business. She continued her love of sewing for her 5 grandchildren after moving to Canada.

As a first child, Wai Har was generous, caring, and willing to help her siblings and relatives. She made a great contribution to her sister-in-law's family's move to Canada, spending hours making clothes and curtains for them because she knew the living costs were expensive there.

Wai Har used whatever materials she had to make something useful for the family. On one occasion, she made a wooden stool from the leftover materials during home renovation and showed her kids proudly when they came home after school. She showed ingenuity and resourcefulness. Once, she sewed a bag out of towels and used it as the outer layer of a package that was mailed to a family in China. When they received the package, they were able to take the bag apart and reuse the towels.

Wai Har kept the living costs as low as possible since they only had income from her husband. She always came up with creative ways to make lives better. From the busiest stay-at-home mom’s daily life of a family of 7, she would squeeze time to earn extra money by bringing handy work home and teaching the kids to help speed up finishing it. Afterward, all the children helped to finish the semi-finished products for Pak Chung’s clients at home. That was part of their lives, not just being a kid, but also learning the reality of the real world. Contribution and involvement are important to support each other.

While the growing family had one breadmaker did not have many chances to dine out as a whole family; therefore, Wai Har made her dishes according to Pak Chung’s description after he had a dining experience with his customers. When she made her first steak meal, Pak Chung taught the children how to use a fork & knife and table manners. They wanted their children to have the dine-out experience at home. Wai Har created various cuisines at Wong’s Kitchen. She earned “the best cook in the world” from the grandchildren.

Family is very important to Wai Har. The family had countless gatherings with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and their families, especially during all the Chinese festivals and holidays. During the Chinese New Year, the whole family visited relatives and friends. These were the proudest moments for Wai Har and Pak Chung because they could show everyone how their kids have grown and appreciate their friends and family for their support.

Wai Har never stopped learning new knowledge, especially in cooking classes. Her numerous tries showed her determination to accomplish a task, and her perseverance was evident in how she achieved her goals in life.

She and her family immigrated to Canada in 1993, starting Pak Chung’s retirement journey together. The children were all grown up, and some had their own families. They spent a lot of family time together.

Life was different in Canada. She coped and learned a different way to live with Pak Chung’s retirement, her children, and their families.

Family gatherings were still important to her. Wai Har was a good and talented chef. She never hesitates to show her hospitality to others. Bring her joy and happiness by preparing a delicious meal that you can taste on her plate. As long as she sees everyone enjoying their meal, it’s okay for her to eat less!

Wai Har was baptized with her husband and son on February 18, 2021. A truly genuine Christian family.

Wai Har’s health went gradually downhill after being diagnosed with kidney disease in 2013. She was a strong fighter in battling her sickness. In the last 7 months, she was frequently in and out of the hospital. She was not only dealing with her kidney problems but also caught Covid and Pneumonia. She fought off Pneumonia and COVID-19, and afterward, she returned home to spend the rest of her time comfortably and peacefully.

She passed away peacefully while sleeping at home in the early morning on March 19, 2025; the exact hour, date, and month as Pak Chung at the same age of 83. They both rest in God’s peace with each other.

惠霞（惠珍）於1941年出生於香港，祖籍中國廣東省惠東縣惠州市沙洲美村人士。她是家中五個孩子中的長女。她留下兒女翠芬(榮慈)、翠薇、國峰[國輝]（曉華）、翠珠[翠芝]（偉超）、翠珊(國釗)及孫女善柔；外孫梓軒（可兒）、梓欣（耀漢）、家翹、和家晞。

日軍在1941年未入侵香港，當時惠霞未滿一歲，父母把她帶回了父親中國的家鄉。戰爭期間，她的出生證明書上沒有她的名字。由於缺乏食物供應，她在幼年時患上夜盲症。她討厭地瓜（番薯），因為這是她當時的主要糧食。

兩歲半時，她回到了香港。後來，她獲得上學的機會不到兩年。由於家庭收入低，無力負擔學費，她輟學了。惠霞再也沒有機會上學。大約五歲時，因為父母都是全職工作但收入不高，無能力請保母照顧她。她再次返回中國由其他家人照料。

惠霞6歲時再次回港。她跟著做家庭傭工的母親一起去上班惠霞幫忙一些簡單的工作。

大約十歲時，惠霞開始兼職手洗衣服的工作。由於負擔不起交通費，她只可步行去收集客人的髒衣服並將乾淨的衣服送回去。她將所有收入交給母親。

15歲時，惠霞暗地褢儲起一些錢想用來上縫紉學校用，因為她想透過轉行來獲得更好的未來。 她花了好一段時間才儲夠50元來報名參加縫紉課程。之後她在一家製衣廠工作，生產牛仔布製品，直到18歲。

18歲時，為了獲得更好的工資和減少加班時間，她進入了一家香烟廠工作。 惠霞和柏振就在這工廠相遇，並開始了他們人生的新篇章。

一年後，第一個孩子出生了，更多的寶寶跟着來臨，讓黃家更幸福美滿。 儘管這個新家庭面臨許多挑戰，但愛和支持從未消失。

惠霞總是把家庭放在第一位，並以各種方式支持她的丈夫。她從小就掌握的家政技能，將其運用到現實生活中。她富有創意的頭腦和靈巧的雙手幫助她把一切都安排得井井有條。

惠霞為孩子縫製從幼兒園到中學的所有校服。她會借一件校服回來然後製作出自己的版本。往後因栢振的生意改善了家庭經濟情況，於是她可以在農曆新年期間為自己和孩子們縫製新衣服。移居加拿大後，她繼續這個愛好，為五個孫子女縫製衣服。

身為家中長女，惠霞為人慷慨、有愛心，樂於幫助弟妹和親人。她付出了很多時間精力幫助他們。例如我們的姑媽移居加拿大時為他們縫製衣服和窗簾，因為她知道那裡的生活成本很高，希望用自己的技能去幫助家人。

惠霞常利用僅有的材料為家人製造一些實用的東西。有一次，她用家裡裝修剩下的材料做了一張木凳，待孩子們放學回家後，她自豪地展示給他們看。她很聰明。她會用毛巾縫製了一個袋子，並將其作為包裹的外層，寄給中國的家人。當他們收到包裹時，他們可以把袋子拆開並重新使用毛巾。

由於家裡只有丈夫的收入，惠霞盡量節省生活支出。她總是想出創意的方法來改善生活。身為一個七口之家忙碌的全職媽媽，她每天會擠出時間來做一些簡單的加工外發，然後教孩子們一同參與加快完成，以賺取額外的收入。隨後，孩子們會在家幫忙為栢振的客戶完成半成品加工。這是他們生活的一部分，不僅是作為一個孩子，還要了解現實的世界。付出和參與對於互相支持非常重要。

因為沒有太多機會全家一起出外吃飯。因此，她會根據栢振與顧客外出用餐後的描述，製作了自己的菜餚。當她第一次做西餐時，柏振就教孩子如何使用餐具和餐桌禮儀。他們希望自己的孩子在家也能有外出食餐的體驗。她在自家厨房創造了各種美食因此贏得了孫輩們的“世界上最好的廚師”稱號。

家庭對惠霞來說非常重要。全家人都會經常和父母、弟妹和他們的家人聚會無數次，特別是在節日和假期期間。過年時候，全家會走訪親友們。這是惠霞和栢振最自豪的時刻，因為他們可以向大家展示孩子們的成長，並感謝親朋好友的支持。

惠霞從未停止學習新知識，尤其是在烹飪上。無數次的嘗試展現了她完成目標的決心，而她的毅力從她實現人生目標的方式中可以看出。

1993年，她和家人移民加拿大，開始了和栢振一同的退休之旅。孩子都長大了，有的成家立室了。他們一起度過了很多家庭時光。

加拿大的生活與前不同。她努力適應並學會以不同的方式與退休的栢振、子女以及他們的家人相處。

家庭聚會對她來說仍然很重要。惠霞是一位出色且有才華的廚師。她從不吝嗇對別人的熱情款待。準備一頓美味的飯菜為她帶來快樂和幸福，你可以從菜餚中品嚐出來。只要見到各人食得開心她少吃一點也無防！

惠霞於2021年2月18日與丈夫和兒子一起受洗，是真真正正的基督家庭。

惠霞於2013年被診斷出腎病後，健康狀況漸漸走下坡。她一直為健康堅強奮鬥，尤其在過去七個月的頻繁住院期間，她不僅要應對腎臟問題，還感染了新冠肺炎和肺炎。她戰勝兩個炎症後回家休養，平靜地渡過餘下日子。

她於2025年3月19日清晨在家睡夢中安詳去世；與栢振同月、同日、同時段、同樣享年83歲安息主懷，蒙上帝庇佑。