Ted K. Wong (黃廣達), beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away on August 19, 2020 at the age of 91. Born in Hok Shan (Heshan,鹤 山), Guangdong Province, China, on March 19, 1929, the eldest of three children to Jack (黃開爵) and Sim(羅月娟) Wong, Ted believed in living simply: waking up early, working hard, dressing in an unassuming manner, and eating simple foods and drink--his favorites being a mug of warm water and a large bowl of Hong Kong-style wonton soup with rice noodles. Yet,Ted’s life was anything but simple. He came of age during the waning years of a republic, a nation riddled with poverty, embroiled in civil war and subjected to relentless foreign invasions. He witnessed the horror of these disquieting times, as he and his family repeatedly fled nearly 100 miles on foot from heavy shelling and occupation of their ancestral lands, losing his younger sister to illness, and nearly wasting away from hunger himself on two occasions. Despite what appeared to be an inauspicious beginning, Ted had the unique ability at a very young age to envision a reality that was entirely different from the one he was living. Even with the absence of his father--who had left for America to support the family from abroad in 1934 (Ted was 5 years old) and who only returned for a brief visit 10 years later in Hong Kong--Ted could see a future of possibilities, one deeply rooted in his desire to make a difference in the lives of those in need. With a singular determination to overcome years of struggle and hardship, young Ted unwaveringly pursued an education that would befit his dreams, eventually embarking on a path toward becoming a medical doctor, graduating from Zhongshan Medical School (中山醫學院) in 1956.
In 1962, Ted’s dream of practicing medicine and living in the United States became a reality when he immigrated with his wife Sue (also a physician) and his two young children to the United States, settling in New York City and reuniting with his father--who, by then, had spent decades in America, including proudly serving in the United States Army during WWII. Ted’s mother and sister, Sunshine, would join them a year later, and Sue and Ted’s family would grow to include a total of 6 children (three boys and three girls).
Before starting his private practice, Ted interned in New York City at Grand Central Hospital and Jewish Memorial Hospital, followed by residences in Pathology at Meadowbrook Hospital in Manhattan and in Pediatrics at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Brooklyn and United Hospitals of Newark in New Jersey. After completing his formal medical education, Ted furthered his training by working as an emergency room physician at the Helene Fuld Medical Center in Trenton, New Jersey and later at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Queens, New York. Ted secured licensure to practice medicine and surgery in both New Hampshire (1967) and New York (1968).
Although trained in internal medicine while in China, Ted saw a need for dedicated pediatric care in the Chinese community and would eventually make history by becoming the first pediatrician in New York Chinatown--setting up his private practice, first on Canal Street and, in later years, moving to Elizabeth Street. Soon children from Chinese families all over the New York Tri-State area came to see Dr. Wong because he was admired for his integrity, competency, compassion, and generosity. Stories of his generosity traveled far and wide, such as waiving an examination fee to ensure that a family would have enough to pay for medications, or offering complementary pediatric medical care to an entire family until each child graduated high school if a patient’s father passed away while under his care. Beyond providing his services to needy patients, Ted’s generosity extended to many members of his extended family--putting relatives through college and medical school and/or graduate school, providing aid to family members who had recently immigrated to the United States so that they could pursue living the American dream.Ted was deeply altruistic and donated to many philanthropic organizations.
Three years prior to his retirement, Ted worked alongside his eldest son, Alan, a pediatrician, who would eventually take over his practice, modernizing and streamlining its operations. This period of father-son partnership afforded them regular contact (which is often limited in the lives of children with physician parents) and sustained engagement over their passion for delivering high-quality comprehensive pediatric care. When the time came for Ted to retire, he happily moved down to Florida with Sue to be with their children and grandchildren in 1999. Retired life in Florida suited him well; he loved the weather, the calm life--commenting how even the ducks live longer here! He spent hours tending his rose and butterfly garden, exercising regularly, reading numerous Chinese newspapers, watching the news on TV, dabbling in Chinese poetry, occasionally playing Mahjong with Sue and his children well into the night at weekend gatherings. In Florida, Ted and Sue finally had free time to be together. Frequently bantering and teasing each other, they’d often finish each other’s sentence. Ted cherished his time with his extensive family and passed on his Chinese culture to his grandchildren, driving them to their weekend Chinese language classes, taking them to dim sum, teaching them how to play Mahjong. Winter holidays saw the family gathering around a large 12-foot Christmas tree unwrapping presents, as the grandchildren eagerly waited for their grandpa and grandma to hand out red envelopes with holiday money inside.
Staying vigorous and alert for many years with a commitment to daily exercise and eating simple foods, Ted unexpectedly suffered a sudden medical crisis of double pneumonia and abdominal perforation, initiating a rapid decline, and, within a 3-day period, Ted was gone. Cared for by a compassionate and capable team of doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, Ted passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife, his six children and grandchildren.
Ted is survived by his wife Sue (蔡綺思), his children (Alan, Anna, Ada, Albert, Alice, and Arthur), and his grandchildren (Victoria, Olivia, Kyle, Isabella, Mia, Tyler, Alexa, Madeline, Celine, Audrey, and Nathan); sister Sunshine Wang (黃詠棠) nieces Cindy and Eva, nephew David; sons- and daughters-in-laws: Shirley Chiu, John Tierney, George Weiss, Kate Chu, and Natalie de la Mata; in-laws: Jorge Cossio, Eric Delgado, Kevin Tierney, Martin Danjue; cousin Jacqueline Wong Miller and her husband Harvey, their children Jordana, Ross, and Stacy; cousin Seung Ming (Peter) Wong and his wife Shirley Choi, and their children Alison and Amy, Alison’s husband Raymond Leonard, Amy’s husband Gustav Lindell and daughter Thea.
Our deepest thanks to the many friends and families who have reached out to Ted’s family. No gifts or flowers or donations are necessary. However, since many of you have requested a tangible way to express your condolences, a donation in Ted’s honor to a cause reflecting his life’s work or a favorite charity of your own would be more than enough.
Charles B. Wang Community Health Center (
http://www.cbwchc.org/)
St. Jude’s Research Hospital (
https://www.stjude.org/)
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