I was born Sau Chun WONG in Kaiping City, Guangzhou, China on February 8th, 1950 to Nung KWAN (a construction worker) and Wai Lin WONG (a housewife). I was their second child and only daughter in a family of five. My brothers are Kam Sun KWAN, Kam Lun KWAN, Kam Man KWAN and Kam Hung KWAN. I am also known by the name of Wendy.
In 1956, my family left Kaiping City and moved to Hong Kong where I attended Hop Kwan Primary School on Nathan Street. As was common at the time, I entered the workforce at an early age working at various jobs. It was in Hong Kong where I was introduced to my first husband Edward Lan Tack LOW. We were married at St. Teresa’s Church in Kowloon on October 5th, 1972.
Shortly after the wedding, we moved to the twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago; the southernmost island in the Caribbean, where Edward had been born. We worked and lived at a corner store grocery on Park Street in Port-of-Spain owned by his relatives. We eventually took over ownership and converted the corner store grocery to a Chinese restaurant.
On May 6th, 1974, our first son Edmund was born followed shortly by our daughter Christine on July 30th, 1975. Our youngest son Christopher was born five years later on July 14th, 1979. Around the time of Christine’s birth, we purchased our first home in the town of Diego Martin where Edward still resides. It was in this home that we raised our family. When possible, I would make infrequent visits to Hong Kong to see my parents and siblings bringing the children along.
We lived in Trinidad until September, 1990 when we immigrated to Vancouver, BC Canada. There had been a coup d’etat earlier that year which prompted us to move to Canada. Upon first arrival, we temporarily lived with my sister-in-law Jennifer and her family at their home on Galt Street, Vancouver. After a few months, we purchased our home on Wellington Avenue where the family lived until Edward and I eventually divorced.
I met George, also a divorcee through a common circle of friends. He lived in Baker, Louisiana and would frequently visit Vancouver. George introduced me to his daughter Linda, her husband Jean-Paul and two children Solomon and Sophia.
George and I got married in a civil ceremony in New Orleans on March 26th 2004. I moved to George’s home in Baker where we lived for around 10 years before moving to our current home in Portland.
In our spare time, George and I would get together to play mahjong, Rummikube or pickleball with friends. I also enjoyed watching Korean soap operas and playing games on my iPad. However, one of my all-time favorite pastimes would be travelling.
It was during these years in Portland that we travelled the most. We would go on cruises with friends around the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and the US; travel to visit George’s daughter or my own children in both Vancouver and Trinidad. I also got the chance to reconnect with many childhood friends and my family in Hong Kong visiting several times after my mother’s death.
I got to meet my first granddaughter Sophia born on August 4th, 2010 to Edmund and Liezel. Years later I would met my other grandchildren Thiago born October 3rd, 2016 and Charlize April 14th, 2017 born to Christine and Omar. It was also during this time that I joined my local parish the Portland Chinese Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.
On November 24th, 2018, George and I were on our way home to Portland from Vancouver where we were in a fatal car accident around 2:30pm along the I5 highway near Federal Way, Washington.
Word to remember me by: “Love yourself”.
I am survived by:
Spouse
George LEUNG, Portland
Children
Edmund LOW and Liezel LORICO, Vancouver
Christine LOW and Omar ROMERO, Trinidad
Christopher LOW, Vancouver
Linda LEUNG, Cape Code
Grandchildren
Sophia LOW, Vancouver, Canada
Thiago ROMERO, Trinidad
Charlize ROMERO, Trinidad
Parent
Nung KWAN, China
Siblings
Kam Sun KWAN, China
Kam Lun KWAN, China
Kam Man KWAN, China
Kam Hung KWAN, China
Others, such as nephews, nieces, cousins, in-laws
Wing Chung WONG, California
Yuck Shein WONG, California
Wilson WONG, California
Eileen CHRISTENSEN, California
Peter WONG, California
Lai-Ling NOSTRANT, California
Yuen Man CHEUNG, China
Chun Kit KWAN, Vancouver
Chi Kwan KWAN, China
Kit Lam KWAN, China
Siu Hung YEUNG, China
Chin Yee KWAN, China
Po Yee KWAN, China
Kit Yuk HO, China
Chin Ching KWAN, China
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