Joe Wong

Joe Wong, age 91 was born Nov 16,1925 in Yakima, WA in the home of his parents, Yon Wong and Dong Nooy Wong, Chinese immigrants from Southern China. He died peacefully Feb 9,2017, at Memorial Hospital after a life long battle with COPD.

Some of Joe's earliest memories were standing on a crate washing dishes at his dad's Chinese Restaurant on Yakima Avenue. The flood of the early 30's destroyed the restaurant and their home and they were offered a place to live in a potato shed in Terrace Heights. The family aquiredd a piece of land near the river in Union Gap where they did row farming. The family of five lived in a chicken shed with a dirt floor and no running water. At the age of 6 he was given the responsibility to hitch up the team of horses for his dad's delivery wagon to help his dad deliver vegetables to the local grocery stores. His family was
known, at the time, for raising high quality produce and consistently won the blue ribbons at the State Fair competitions. They later went on to develop their own brand of "Blue Ribbon" carrots.

Joe was a pursuer of knowledge. Although he only had an 8th grade formal education ... He was well read and quick to want to learn from those who new their trade. He mentioned back in the day you could have coffee with shop owners and ask questions and they were glad to help you learn anything that would make your life easier. It wasn't about shop rates and time clocks back then ... it was about helping your neighbor. Even at the age of 91, he was still reading and learning, and had even acquired a cell phone!

As a young boy Joe would raise early to do his chores, hop on his bike (which he manufactured) ride from Union Gap area to Fred Meyer area ... pick cherries all day for extra money ... then ride home and do his evening chores. Because the family farm was so rocky ... the kids were always out picking rocks by hand ... they seemed to multiply while he slept!

Joe served in the Army during WWII and was a member of the VFW and American Legion and upon discharge, hired on with Boeing in Seattle as a Machinist. He also worked evenings and weekends for a local carpenter where he would learn skills and abilities to come back to the family farm and build a home for his folks. During this time, he also began raising hay and delivering it all over the NW. Many life-long friends were made from his hay orders and usual restaurant stops along his route. He and his three brothers joined together to form an unbeatable team called "The Wong Bros.", racing dragsters and a hydroplane. In the future, their history and memorabilia will be on tour with Memory Lane Museum of Greater Yakima. Joe was also an accomplished Mechanic and Metal Fabricator ... he loved to cook and garden and, of course ... anyone who knew Joe, knew he loved dogs. In order to be a friend of Joe Wong, you must love dogs. Throughout his life ... he had dozens of dogs ... usually 4 or 5 at a time. He was known for cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner complete with all the trimmings for himself and his dogs. His advice for success was" say what you are going to do ... and do what you say."

Even though Joe never married, or had children, he had several families that he was very close to and they with him. He will be greatly missed..

Joe is preceded in death by his parents and four brothers.

Graveside funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at Tahoma Cemetery. Those wishing to attend may meet at the cemetery.