21. ROBERT WONG

Shortly after my mother’s death in 2010, Robert Wong and my brother kindled a friendship. It was beyond the occasional passing/greeting by chance that had occurred over the years when my parents were living.

So when I called Robert in early February 2012 to tell him that Jack had been hospitalized suddenly and had stage 4 cancer, Robert shared my shock.


I flew in from Victoria, BC and had only days with my brother. He died within the week.
Robert told me that I could call upon him for anything.

When some people say that, they don’t really mean it. Yet with Robert, I knew he did, even though I had not any contact since my mother’s funeral.

I was bereaved by my brother’s death and at the same time, bereft in knowing what to do for a funeral. Unlike my mother who had had specific ideas about my father’s funeral and her own, my brother had been known by both Chinese and non-Chinese community members. I was most comfortable with Western ways.

What to do?

Robert became my guide then, and has been since, in matters Chinese. He is a valued friend to both my husband and me.

Last year, I asked Robert about his life in Niagara Falls. He does not like to talk about himself or say much about others. It seems to be a Chinese way.

Robert said, “All my years in Niagara, I never heard of the Chinese speaking of their past: just lived quietly among their own circle.”

Robert’s circle encompassed his family, friends, and work.


When Robert came to Canada/Niagara Falls, he was about 17 years old at the time.
Even then, Chinatown was small.

Robert recalls, “When I arrived in Niagara Falls in 1951, less than 100 Chinese lived on Park Street and Erie Avenue. Only one family existed – yours (my parents and brother).

When Robert arrived, he lived with his grandfather, Dang Tong, a good friend of my father (Post #9: Chinese Nationalist / Kuomintang Party).

After finishing high school and working for a year, Robert went back to Hong Kong, married and brought his wife, JEAN (Ying Hung Chui) DANG (b. 1935) to Niagara Falls in 1955.


Back in Niagara Falls, Robert realized that he’d need more than a high school education if they were to have a better life. He worked days and went to university at night to earn his professional qualifications.

Robert landed a position at Gerber Baby Foods (Post #12: Chinese Lives) and retired from there after 35 years.

Meanwhile, Jean worked outside the home, too. She started at the Empress Motel (Clark Ave.), moved onto Chu’s Restaurant (Centre St.), then the Drummond Arms (Lundy’s Lane near Drummond Rd.), and finally the Casa D’oro Restaurant (Victoria Ave.) where she continued for almost twenty-five years.

Jean passed away in 2011. She and Robert had lived happily together for 56 years.



Together, they had and raised 4 sons in Niagara Falls.




Each son married. Today, Robert has 8 grandchildren: Tasha, Annika, Jessica, Corbin, Andrew, Emma, Amanda, and Cynthia.

Son Eric and wife Lana live in Ottawa. Eric is a retired financer. Lana is a statistician, working for the federal government in Ottawa. One daughter goes to Queen's University; the other one is in high school.
Son Terry and wife Shirley live in Waterloo. Terry is an owner/pharmacist. Shirley is a pharmacist assistant. Their son and the daughter are both adults now and married.
Son Jeffrey and wife Alixandra live in Oakville. Jeffrey is a psychologist. Alix is also a psychologist with her own practice. Their son will be a lawyer soon. Their daughter has completed her BA and is continuing with MA studies.
Son Perry and wife Susanne live in Niagara Falls. Perry is a retired engineer. Susanne is a registered nurse and case manager for a health organization. One daughter is a physiotherapist and the other daughter is a radiologist.


Robert continues to be a vital part of the Chinese community. For a number of years, he served on the executive of the Niagara Falls Ching Ming Festival and still steps up when needed. He’s there when someone requires assistance: a ride to an appointment, an English document completed, or in my case, a cultural guide and a friend.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1. INTRODUCTION

Niagara Falls had a Chinatown? I didn't know that - a common response when I began to tell non-Chinese Niagara Falls residents about my research. Ostensibly, I had returned to Niagara Falls in June 2017 to mark Ching Ming - a time to pay respects to ancestors and tidy their graves. But inside, I wanted to know anew the place where I grew up. How does one learn: about belonging when the existence of place has been denied? about a place no longer there? when those whom you belonged to and with have passed on? Chinatown in Cantonese is called tong yan gaai ; translated literally means "Chinese people street". And so it was with the Niagara Falls Chinatown of my childhood except it was more like two streets - Park Street and Erie Avenue - rather than one. The last Chinatown buildings were demolished in 2014. My parents and brother are deceased. Only a few Chinese who knew Chinatown and/or are willing/able to talk about their experiences remain. Yet, I wa...
Read more

12. CHINESE LIVES

Neither the city directories nor census records offer much insight into the work and personal lives of Niagara Falls residents. 1911 census did record more information about work life in terms of hours worked per week, weeks employed in 1910, as well as total earnings. However, the information required for the 1921 census was less specific. Similar to the 1911 census, earnings for the preceding year were recorded; however, the number of hours, days, or weeks worked was not requested. Consequently, inferences about wages in terms of one employer paying more than another, or certain employees being treated differentially, or if room and/or board were deducted cannot be made. At the same time, entries are often illegible or omitted. Many Chinese men indicated that they were married but clearly their wives were not living with them. There was one exception gleaned from the 1911 census. HARRY CHON lived with his wife, Rebecca Chon (b.1889, imm.1908) and their daughter, ...
Read more

49. NIAGARA FALLS VISIT 2025

Image
In June 2023, I visited Niagara Falls for a couple hours. Friend Betty drove us from her Richmond Hill home to Fairview Cemetery so I could tend to my family’s grave: weeding, planting new flowers, and paying respects. Lunch with long-time family friend Robert Wong completed the visit. Now two years later, I returned once again: staying a few days. On this occasion, my daughter-in-law and granddaughter accompanied me for their first Niagara Falls experiences. We took in the majesty of the Niagara River as well as the carnival atmosphere of Clifton Hill. Present times were suffused with memories of growing up in Niagara. On Clifton Hill, I looked for any identifying remnants of the old Honeymoon Gift Shop where I had spent a couple summers reminding tourists not to smoke while perusing the fireworks for purchase. Walking towards the Falls, we entered Table Rock House. Self-serve aisles of merchandise had replaced the island counters where I, as a summer student hire, had been quizzed by...
Read more