John Tin Yun Wong

1935 - 2024

John Tin Yun Wong
07/14/1935 - 04/23/2024
A patron of the arts, psychiatric RN, world traveler, restauranteur, and talented chef; John was the eldest son of five children. As a second generation Chinese American, he was born on Bastille Day 1935 in a family owned two flat of four-rooms each building on John Street in San Francisco. His mother was Foo Young Louie, a picture bride, and Father Hung Fun Wong, who had had by an early marriage with five children. The family moved after World War II to their commercial/residential post-earthquake building on Upper Grant Avenue, where John grew up.
His first school was Commodore Stockton elementary and then Francisco middle; after which he went to Commerce High School and transferred to Galileo High School. He graduated with honors in 1953 and received the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award for scientific scholarship. During these years, John had many friends in various clubs and worked with the rest of his family in the restaurants that his chef father leased. For Sunday dinners, his father would treat the family to a chicken from the coop on the back porch. The family participated in the many events connected with Chinese Family Association events. Spiritually, He was baptized at St. Francis Roman Catholic church with his brother Jim- both became quite committed to their faith. With his high school scholarship, he went to UC Berkeley while living at home and graduated in1957 with a BS in public health. He then served his two years duty with the U.S. Navy. After returning to a family apartment in North Beach on Bannam Place, he participated in an extreme Bohemian /Beatnik lifestyle. His sister Ida, a psychiatric pediatrician, would convince him to become involved with Agnew's State Hospital for the mentally ill which led to him working toward receiving a RN from Santa Clara University.
After a tortious courtship following an acid rock party in Japantown, Robert Speer moved in 1969 to his North Beach flat, which would lead to 55 years of a blissful/ tumultuous/satisfying marriage. When Agnew's State Hospital closed, John transferred in 1972 to Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute at the UC San Francisco. His career propelled him in 1978 to Mount Zion Hospital as psychiatric evening charge nurse. Where he reluctantly retired in 1992 with several additional nursing roles that affected his health, that was shortly after the hospital was bought by UCSF. A year later the psychiatric unit at this architecturally famous Mendelson building became an oncology unit. John and Robert bought in 1975 their dream home-a 1912 Arts and Crafts shingle style home in the Western Addition. The much-neglected house would be restored, and Robert revived the surrounding baren large yard into a verdant garden. John concentrated on preparing delicious meals, which included private dinner parties and large Easter/Christmas festive affairs.
This entertainment would lead both to open a restaurant in a building they purchased with their best friend, Ming Gee in 1979. Their fashionable Snow Peas restaurant in the Castro District was an instant success but proved exhausting after four years to operate for three owners with other outside interests. John and Ming had fashioned a new East/West blend of cuisine. During this time, Ming would move into John and Robert's home. The threesome would travel extensively together to Asia, Europe, Africa, USA (46 states), and Canada (7 provinces) providing many satisfying experiences and newfound friends. Their other combined interests included the arts: the Asian Art Museum, SF Opera, all the City Art Museums, and Philharmonia Baroque. For eight years John did voluntary work in his retirement at the Lima Center for the homeless at St. Dominic's Church.
John died peacefully at home on the sunny afternoon of St. George's Day 2024 with his caregiver, Toby, and Robert attending to him. He is survived by his sister Nellie, his spouse Robert, many nephews and many nieces. A funeral mass and interment in the columbarium at St. Dominic's Church will be held at a future date. Special thanks are extended to Dr. Joseph Wong, Deacon Chuck McNeil, By the Bay Hospice, and the Trident Society. Any memorial gifts would be appreciated to the Lima Center at St. Dominic's Church, Asian Art Museum and the SF Opera.