Wing Fun Mah

It is with great sadness that the family of Wing Fun Mah announces his passing on December 16, 2020 at age 92. He is predeceased by his wife Siu Sheung in 2015, and will be lovingly remembered by his children, Janet (John), Evelyn (David), Shirley (Albert), Kim (Andy) and Ken (Becky), and five grandchildren, Katie, Michael, Ryan, Jenna and Adam.

Wing (known to his friends as “Foon”) was born in the village of Toisan, in the province of Guangdong, China, on October 11, 1928. He had early success as a shoemaker in China before the invention of what he referred to as “manufactured shoes.” He left China in 1950 to join his father who was working on a farm in Canada. In his youth, Wing spent many hours on the vibrant streets of Vancouver’s Chinatown with men who would become his lifelong friends. Those who knew him best would say Wing was a good and honest man with a generous heart. He would give a hungry man his last dime, but would never ask for a penny for himself. He enjoyed mah-jong and pai gow, and was active in the Mah Society.

He would meet his wife for the first time days before their wedding on January 28, 1957, and they would remain together for the next 58 years until her passing. To support his family, he took on a variety of roles, including supervisor at a laundry service facility, butcher, and various restaurant positions, including short-order cook, apple-pie chef and master fryer. In the 1960s, he accepted jobs in Chilliwack and Union Bay that took him away from his young family for weeks at a time. He eventually joined Fraser Mills, a small lumber company where he began on the green chain and later moved into plywood finishing. With his new union job, Wing was able to purchase the first family home in 1970. He would remain at Fraser Mills from 1967 until his retirement in 1988.

During his golden years, he enjoyed family gatherings and put his culinary skills to good use. There were many celebrations where his home-prepped foods were the first to be consumed. He was well known for his love of food and unfailing appetite. He looked forward to weekly dim sum with family, a tradition that continued even after he moved into Holy Family Residence last November.

A private graveside service will be held on December 28, 2020, at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Burnaby.

The family wishes to thank all the staff in neighbourhood 3 at Holy Family Hospital, with special acknowledgement to nurse Angela and occupational therapist Virginia for their care and dedication to Wing.

In lieu of flowers, please support the good work at Holy Family by donating to the St Paul’s Hospital Foundation at https://helpstpauls.com/holy-family-hospital