Basalle Wong

Mrs. Basalle Wong was the eldest daughter of six children of Hong Po Tse and Yuk Jun Tse and was raised in Guangzhou, China during a period of turmoil. Her father was an industrious entrepreneur, and her mother a strict traditionalist. Basalle was expected to look after her younger siblings and had to take on many tasks as her mother delegated. Basalle could be rebellious and puckish, but she was also dedicated and filial.
After WW II, she was introduced to Harlin Wong, a Chinese American veteran, and after a short courtship, was married in 1946. As a "war bride", Basalle immigrated to the United States with her new groom to set up a new life in San Francisco. Harlin and Basalle were an unusual couple; he had been an aspiring artist in NYC, and she was a pragmatic, headstrong young woman who had never seen the United States.
Harlin and Basalle worked hard to raise their family as part of the American dream. Among the first Chinese in San Francisco to move out of Chinatown, they settled in the Richmond district, which would become Basalle's home for the next 70 years. Her four children: Byron, Vivien, Warren and "baby" Winston attended public school, graduated from UC Berkeley and went on to successful careers in law, medicine and real estate.
Harlin and Basalle were devoted to each other and their young family. Harlin was establishing his career as an agent for the U.S. Treasury Department and Basalle became the proprietor of a corner grocery store in the heart of the Richmond District. Basalle worked 7 days a week for eight years. Through serendipity, she discovered her true calling was real estate and sold the store after attending real estate night school and earning her real estate license.
Basalle was the right woman at the right time, drawing from her husband's support, her bilingual skills, adept social networking and shrewd business acumen and quickly achieved success. She became "The Agent" for emerging middle class Chinese American families seeking to realize their dreams as first time homeowners in San Francisco. She soon established her own brokerage, Basalle Wong Realty, Inc., and completed several large business and residential transactions with both local and international investors. When Harlin passed away unexpectedly in 1994, Basalle kept his encouragement alive by sustaining her real estate business with Vivien taking on a prominent role. She continued to work through age 96 and mentored her grandchildren, Alina and Connor, through the business.
Basalle was a proud past president of the Chinese Real Estate Association and received the "Mother of the Year" Award from the Chinese Women's Association of America in 1990. She was also a founding member of the Chinese Grace Baptist Church and facilitated the purchase of its permanent home in the Richmond district 55 years ago.
Basalle died peacefully on March 13, 2026 surrounded by family after a brief illness.
Basalle never hesitated to thank God for her longevity, prosperity and good health, and for her four children: Byron (Donna), Vivien, Warren (Lisa) and Winston (June) and her beloved grandchildren, Cynthia, Byron, Jr., Alison, Matthew, Alina, Alia, Korey, Alisa, Connor and Maya, and her great grandchildren, Jacob, Joshua, Tiffany, Charlotte, Luke, Eleanor, Harlin and Anela. She was predeceased by her parents, older brother, Park, younger brother Kenneth, sisters Laura and Margaret and husband Harlin.
Donations in Basalle's memory may be made to: Chinese Grace Baptist Church, 900 Balboa Street, San Francisco, CA 94118, or Chinese Hospital Association Foundation at: www.chinesehospital-sf.org/donate-now/ Please indicate "In memory of Basalle Wong".