Fong Fung Toy Joe was born in a small village in Canton, China on November 26, 1917. She passed away on January 12, 2022 in Sugar Land, Texas after a short illness in the hospital. She was an amazing 104 years old!
As a young girl, she lived in a 5-story building owned by her family, who was considered wealthy and had servants to do household chores. Fung Toy had only one sibling, a younger brother, Jim, whom she adored. She told of how her family was terrorized by robbers, and as a result would have to escape to the nearby mountains for safety.
Her arranged marriage as a teenager to her beloved husband, Chester Joe, almost didn’t take place because her future in-laws did not approve of the small scar above her eye. After several visits noting her sweetness and goodness, they reconsidered. Finally, their marriage did come to fruition, even though the bride did not meet her groom until the wedding day.
Fung Toy immigrated to the United States with her army veteran husband in 1947 as a war bride, as did so many other Chinese couples to live the American dream. The journey was a challenge as she was seasick the whole way because of her pregnancy. Afterwards, she soon adjusted to a new life and home in Cleveland, Mississippi. Together, Chester and Fung Toy worked hard in their small grocery store to provide for a growing family. She stocked shelves and cashiered, even though she didn’t speak English.
She worked even harder to care for her 5 children. She would energetically and methodically cook, sew, garden, raise chickens, pigeons, and rabbits. Gardening was her passion and she always had a green thumb for growing flowers and vegetables. She kept fresh vegetables on the table and even
grew a variety of them to sell. Besides the responsibilities of raising her children, she was also a caregiver to her father-in-law.
Fung Toy loved the large Chinese community, where active lives revolved around the Chinese Baptist Church. At a church revival in the 1980s, she and her husband asked Jesus into their lives. She was loving, kind-hearted, humble, and gentle, always remembering people’s birth dates. She was
frugal with herself and wise to conserve water, food, or paper. Yet, she was very generous with others.
After her children were grown and moved from Cleveland, her greatest joy was seeing her family and grandchildren. Her children would congregate on holidays and special celebrations. She would plan gatherings to include extended family and friends and would cook, make Chinese pastries and
prepare for weeks, as her children came home to visit. Although she baked cookies, cakes and made “tay”, her specialty was making Baos, which her grandsons, Brandon and Cory, have carried on that tradition to honor her legacy.
In 1990, after the loss of her husband, Chester, she moved to Houston to live with her youngest son, Edward, and his family. She found great joy in watching her grandsons, Christopher and Nicholas, grow and to be a full-time grandmother. She continued to relish the annual family gatherings.
In 2004, she moved in with her oldest son, Richard, after his wife, Sonya, passed. Fung Toy was very independent, cherished the daily scheduled phone calls from her children, and basically took care of her own personal needs until her fall in early 2021. At that time, her 5 children rallied around her to provide ongoing 24 hour care. They spent many hours playing games, walking, and doing physical therapy up to her final days.
Fung Toy leaves her greatest legacy, her five children: Richard Chin, Mamie Joe Rayburn(Dale), Marie Joe Wong(Ray), Snider Joe, and Edward Joe(Jennie) and the next generations. She was a proud grandmother to: Connie Chin Darnell(Gary), Darren Chin(Elaine), Brandon Rayburn(Kristen), Cory Rayburn(Jody), Benjamin Wong (Haejung), Amanda Wong Silverman(Doug), Christopher Joe, and Nicholas Joe. In addition, she had 10 great grandchildren. She was blessed in years and with a strong,
quiet spirit. Her love and influence will live on through all she touched. We take great comfort in knowing that she is now at peace in the presence of the Lord.
“ The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialoaksfunerals.com for the Joe family.
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