Basalle Wong

1929 - 2026

Basalle Wong
10/12/1929 - 03/13/2026
Mrs. Basalle Wong was born October 12, 1929 in China, and was the eldest daughter of six children of Hong Po Tse and Yuk Jun Tse. Basalle was expected to look after her younger siblings and had to take on many tasks as her mother delegated. Basalle was independently minded but also dedicated and filial.
She was introduced to Harlin Wong, an American citizen and decorated veteran of WW II. After a short courtship, the couple married in 1946. Harlin returned to the United States with Basalle to set up a new life in San Francisco.
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, Basalle's home for the next 70 years. Her four children, Byron, Vivien, Warren and "baby" Winston, products of the SFUSD, graduated from UC Berkeley and with careers in law, medicine, education and real estate.
Harlin and Basalle were devoted to each other and their young family. Harlin pursued a career as a U.S. Treasury Department agent and Basalle became the proprietor of a corner grocery store in the heart of the Richmond District, working full time for eight years. Through serendipity, she discovered her true calling was real estate, sold the store and started her new career.
Basalle became a noted real estate agent in the Chinese American community, helping scores of families realize their dream as new homeowners. She soon established her own brokerage, Basalle Wong Realty, Inc., which facilitated several large property transactions involving both local and international investors. When her husband passed away unexpectedly in 1994, she maintained her zeal for hard work by maintaining her business without ever retiring and incorporating 3 generations into the company.
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.
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). In addition to her children, she is survived by her beloved grandchildren, Cynthia, Byron, Jr., Alison, Matthew, Alina, Alia, 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.
A memorial service will be held at McAvoy and O'hara Evergreen Mortuary, 4545 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco on Sunday, April 12 at 10:00 a.m., with a viewing on Saturday, April 11 from 5- 7 PM. Contributions may be made "In Memory of Basalle Wong" to the Chinese Grace Baptist Church, 900 Balboa Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, or the Chinese Hospital in San Francisco at www.chinesehospital-sf.org/donate-now