Fung Ming Lee Widmann

The cause was complications from synovial sarcoma, diagnosed in June 2024.

She is survived by her husband, Thom; their sons, Elliot and Oliver; her sisters, Karen (Rob) and Nancy (Dave); and her mother, Lai Ling.

Fung has been celebrated as an extraordinary mother, wife, friend, athlete, and research professional. Born in 1972, she emigrated with her family from Hong Kong at the age of ten. She helped with the family lunch truck and restaurant while excelling in school, ultimately earning admission to UC Berkeley—sight unseen—where she went on to complete her undergraduate and MPH degrees.

Of all her accomplishments, none meant more to her than building her family. Fung and Thom were married in Manhattan in 2005. They welcomed Elliot in 2010 and Oliver in 2012, making a life together in Brooklyn while remaining closely tied to extended family in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Long Island.

Fung cultivated deep and lasting friendships—both nearby and across the country—many rooted in her years at Berkeley and the time she spent in the Bay Area afterward.

At the height of her physical health, Fung was an avid runner who completed seven marathons, including as a member of the elite Saucony 26 team in New York in 2004. Even during her illness, she made staying active a priority, walking the loop in Prospect Park with dear friends many days of the week.

Professionally, Fung thrived in the demanding world of research and clinical trials. Working from home (which she loved), she spent 12 years with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, where colleagues valued her personal commitment and effectiveness in helping bring life-changing medications to market. Other engagements included positions with Pfizer and Roche.

Those who knew Fung also knew her delight in small pleasures: fine teas, linen sheets, exotic skincare products, and an ever-growing drawer of plastic bags she might need one day. She loved travel, poetry and podcasts, her mother’s soups, her friends’ stories, and fighting with the other aunties for the best greens at Chinatown markets.

Above all, Fung loved being with her family—especially “exploring other neighborhoods” with Thom, Elliot, and Oliver.

They adored her beyond words and have promised to keep exploring - fully expecting to find her around every new corner.