Gina Miu Yin Kwang (Wong) of Toronto passed away on Saturday October 19th in her 74th year after a full and loving life. Loving daughter of late Wai Ching and Henry Wong and sister of late Mabel and Linda. Her life will be celebrated in loving memory by her husband Mike, children Anna (Ayan Deb) and Robbie, siblings Dan (Sandra), Ling (Ernest Yu), John, and nieces Nikita and Tianna Wong and Jasmine and Iris Yu. She will also be missed by many friends.
Gina was born on January 9th, 1950, in the District of Taishan in the Province of Guangdong (formerly Canton) in China where her sisters Mabel and Linda were also born. In the early 1950’s, her family moved to Hong Kong where Gina attended Primary and Junior School. Each day she would get dressed in her school uniform and ride the city bus to school. Life was hard and Gina’s Father decided to go to Canada to make a future for his family. He left for Canada in 1952, leaving his family behind in Hong Kong. He arrived in Saskatchewan where he had family connections, and worked washing dishes, cooking, and working in a general store to make money to send back to Hong Kong. His grandfather had moved to Canada in the 1880’s, meaning members of the Wong family have been in Canada for over 140 years now. During this time, her mother was living in a tiny one room apartment looking after the children. Gina’s Father was unable to afford frequent trips back home to Hong Kong, and it was sometimes 2-3 years between visits. Sister Ling and brother Dan were born in Hong Kong. Enough money was finally scraped together to move the family temporarily to Regina, Saskatchewan in 1965. They heard of a restaurant opportunity in Walkerton and arrived in 1966 to start the Chinese restaurant, The Walkerton Grill (where Brown’s Pharmacy now stands). Gina along with her sisters Mabel and Linda worked long hours at the restaurant and sometimes in shifts. Gina and her sisters and parents sacrificed and worked hard for the family and younger siblings. The family further grew with the arrival of brother John and then sister Mee Ling. Although life was tough working 18-hour days, 7 days a week, they saved enough money to build their dream restaurant, The Golden Wheel (where The Guest House now stands). Gina traveled back to China alone in 1976 on a trip and met the love of her life and future husband Mike. They fell in love and were soon married, and Mike moved to Canada in 1979. Daughter Anna and son Robbie were born in Walkerton and that was the start of a beautiful family. The Kwang family moved to Toronto in 1983 and made Toronto their new home.
Friends and relatives are invited to a funeral service at 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at Cameron’s in Walkerton. Interment in Walkerton Cemetery to follow.
As expressions of sympathy, donations to Alzheimer Society of Canada would be appreciated by the family. Donations may be made online at www.cameronfuneralhomes.com
