Celebrating a Life

Last Tuesday we gathered as a family to celebrate the life of Tommie Fong. His funeral services were brief and focused. He was remembered. We laughed and remembered the great person that is gone from us at this time.

It was also a time to learn new things about Tommie. Who knew that Grandma met Tommie when her first husband brought him over to the house? I had no idea that Tommie traveled so much, going all over the U.S. and traveling abroad as well. I found out that Tommie would take his much-younger siblings out to amusement parks when he went home to visit. So Tommie was the best man at Bob and Lee's wedding, and Bob was best man at Grandma and Tommie's wedding. Tommie kept his marriage to Grandma a secret from his family until his sister Paula bought plane tickets for the two of them and put the wrong name on the ticket.

Tommie lived a rich, full, interesting life. He will be missed. John, Jack, David, Julie, Jennie, Linda

Tommie's sister Paula is sitting next to Grandma.

Grandma and Paula

Miriam in Tommie's hat.

Rebecca in Tommie's hat.

Tommie Fong

October 29, 1925 to
November 5, 2009

Tommie had been suffering from liver cancer for a while now. There was no permanent treatment that the doctors could do for him, so he did some chemotherapy and also enlisted the help of different Chinese herbs. Tommie's body finally gave in to the effects of age and cancer on Thursday, November 5.

Tommie lived a full life. He was born in China and lived there for the first 13 years of his life. He experienced a total change of lifestyle when he moved with his family to San Francisco. His family still lives in San Francisco, and he always enjoyed returning to visit them.

Tommie worked as a chef at a steakhouse in Denver for many years. John Elway would request that Tommie cook for him. I remember when Jack and I got married, Tommie would still go to work at the restaurant on Saturdays for the regular weekend crowd. He was 75 at the time.

Tommie liked to watch football, play the lotto and cook. He would go to the grocery store nearly every day. Tommie was always cheerful and willing to talk.

Tommie and Grandma Fong had been married for a long time. Jack doesn't remember Grandma without Tommie. I never saw them apart.

Tommie was blessed to pass from this life peacefully and quickly. Even though he has been struggling with his health, he was still living at home up until his hospitalization on Monday. We had planned a surprise birthday lunch at his favorite restaurant for Saturday, but he didn't feel up to it. But he was able to go to Uncle Bob's to watch as the trick-or-treaters came by.

We will miss Tommie, but we are grateful he was able to live a full life.