Kathleen Wong
In Memoriam
Kathleen Wong, beloved wife of Albert Wong
Sep 8, 1945 - Aug 26, 2003
Sep 8, 1945 - Aug 26, 2003
Kathleen and Albert, who were both born in Canton, China, first met in Hong Kong when they were young, and they got married on March 14, 1974, prior to immigrating to Canada in October 1977.
In 1996, Albert was inducted into our Rotary Club. While Albert, from the very onset, was always a very active member in our Club, serving on committees and directorships, Kathy being rather shy and reserved by nature, did not start attending any of our functions until about three years ago.
On Friday August 22, 2003, they both attended our Club's Mexican style BBQ and Dance, a rather unique event and the first of its type for our Club.
Since neither Albert nor myself, both of whom have in the past acted as the Club's unofficial photographers, had brought our cameras, Albert and Kathy immediately volunteered to return home to get his.
It was indeed a most enjoyable evening with our friends and members from the other three Richmond Clubs.
Over that weekend, on more than one occasion, Kathy apparently reminded Albert that she wanted the pictures e-mailed to her office on Monday so that she could show them to her co-workers.
On Sunday August 24, Albert e-mailed the photos to our members at 1.30 a.m., via an Internet photo album. A review of this album which will show the shy reserved Kathy thoroughly enjoying herself, so much so, that Albert remarked, that on that occasion, for the first time in their entire married life, Kathy asked him to dance, rather than waiting for him to make the first overture, as was their usual custom.
On Monday August 25 Albert, promised to drop off a CD copy of the photos for me. On that same morning, Kathy received her e-mail of the photos which she was very thrilled to show to her co-workers just before leaving for her lunch break.
At around 2.30 p.m. on Monday, Albert, as promised, was on his way to drop off the CD to me when he received that unforgettable call, which forced him to immediately turn around, head home to pick up his two children and then proceed to the hospital.
It was there that he learned that his dear wife and his children's loving mother, while returning to her office from her lunch break, had been struck in the crosswalk by a tour bus.
Unfortunately, her injuries were so serious, that all attempts by the doctors to save her, failed and at 2.40 a.m., on Tuesday August 26, a beautiful soul commenced her journey to that better place above.
On returning home with his family at 4.00 a.m. that morning, Albert immediately e-mailed the tragic and most unwelcome news to his fellow Rotarians, news which we were all thoroughly shocked to receive, especially at 7.00 a.m.
I immediately went to the family's home whereupon Albert greeted me at the door, and after momentarily sharing our grief, he turned and went up stairs, an action to which I never gave a second thought especially under the circumstances.
Less than a minute later, he returned and handed me the CD tape! Thus the historical recordings of Kathy's last fun filled evening with her dear husband and the new friends that she had recently begun to get to know better over the past few years, had completed it's journey and the record will show that Kathy had indeed saved the last dance for her husband of nearly 30 years
- PP Wilbur Walrond