Yit Fah Wong

Uncle Yit Fah was a wonderful cook. We loved meals at his home and there were many family occasions when he helped with the catering. Even at our house he would volunteer to cook the barbecue. He would, with aunty Tong Lan, make the most delicious snowball cakes and peanut cookies. Cooking for others was one of their ways of showing their love. In his later years, it was great to be able to reciprocate and share some of our own cooking. He was particularly fond of our daughter’s home-made chocolate fridge cakes. We enjoyed several Christmas lunches and Chinese New Year dinners together and the last meal we saw him enjoy was his favourite lobster noodle at The Emperor restaurant.

It is with such sadness that Uncle Wong has passed. Our entire family at some point in our lives were welcomed into Uncle’s home to live. This was how Uncle was – incredibly generous and easy going. When I think of Uncle, a few things come to mind. How he loved watching The Twilight Zone on the Sci-Fi channel and his big booming laugh, his amazing cooking (crab claws were my favourite, lemon chicken my sister’s favourite), the infamous drinks trolley that always had many fizzy drinks on it, how he’d always offer a drink off the trolley as soon as you entered the front door, his supply of stewed apples from the garden that he kept in the freezer for a snack and how he would always drink out of his big I Love Coffee mug. I and all the family miss you Uncle and I can’t believe that you are no longer here. In my heart I will always still see you sitting in your chair in the living room, laughing at the TV. My sister and I never knew our grandfathers and so you were a grandfather to us both. I am so glad to have known you. Sending you lots of love x

Dear Yit Fah’s relatives and friends, There comes a time for all of us when we must say goodbye, but memories of those we love live on and never die.  Although the curtain falls at last, is that a cause to grief? The future life is brighter still if only we believe. So trust in God’s eternal care, And when the Master calls, we will know a fairer worlds beyond, although the curtain falls. With deepest sympathy,  Shirley & Jimmy

Uncle Yit Fah and auntie Susan were wonderfully kind to us when mum and Fui Phin were ill. They would regularly visit, bringing delicious home cooked food. Their love and kindness were a source of great comfort during those dark times. During one of my last visits, I asked uncle what I could bring him. His instant reply was wonderful: “a bible”. Uncle was always cheerful and courageous, with no fear of death whatsoever.

Yit Fah was generous and ever ready to help others with his practical skills. His cooking was outstanding. We were thankful for the many delicious meals he prepared for us to enjoy. It was great he and Tong Lan could travel so extensively. We enjoyed visiting him in China where he would stay several months of the year. We were delighted for his recent acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, giving him eternal life in Heaven. Yun Chau & Mook Lan

Uncle Yit Fah will always remain in our hearts and mind as the uncle with a big heart and a face full of smiles. We will all miss him and may his soul rest in peace. Niece Faustina Labuan, Malaysia

Uncle Yit Fah or Yit QQ (as we call him) and Aunty Susan would always call me to meet up when they visited Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The last time they was here, Yit QQ was still recovering from his knee replacement surgery. As per their previous visits, we would catch up over a meal. We will always remember Yit QQ as a warm and caring person. Yit QQ was my mother’s (Tsin Fah) younger brother. Belinda Ho

Uncle was the grandfather I never had. When I was young my mother (Aunty’s niece) and I used to live with him and Aunty while my father was working in Singapore. Uncle was very caring and cheerful. He was always the first person to come and cuddle me/dry my tears when I used to fall down the stairs as a toddler! I also remember when I was a bit older I would play in the garden and was naughty so would make puddles from the rain water that Uncle had collected to water the garden. He would give me a gentle telling off because it was dirty! In later years, our family would always be there for visits, gatherings and parties that he and Aunty held. Uncle was a great chef and he was so kind that whenever we visited he would make sure he made our favourite dishes. We will all miss your smile, laugh and kind nature. Rest in peace, we love you xxx

My heart sank when I got the call on 20 November from my Kiew Nyong Nelly with the very sad news that we had lost Kiew2 Yit Fah. I did not even know that he was sick and it was a really big shock to me. The last time Kiew2 Yit and Kiew Nyong Tong Lan visited me was in 2019 just before Covid 19 hit the world. Both of them were still doing alright then. Kiew2 Yit did call my dad in Perth to inform that they were not that well but I was not informed. Everyone must have thought Kiew2 Yit would have called me too as he never fails to call me or visit every time he was in town and would also call from the UK if he did not visit for a long time. Kiew2 Yit was a very loving and caring uncle to all of his nieces and nephews even though we never grew up around him. He never failed to keep in touch or visit us when he was on his way to China or on the way back to UK. He was the only one who kept connected with all the Wong side of the family and was the chain that linked all the family together. I only got to know my Kiew2 Yit on a personal level when I got re-connected with him in 1979 when I made my first ever overseas trip to visit London when I was working for Malaysian Airlines System. Kiew2 Yit was at the airport to fetch me and he had never seen me grow up to a young lady, met me in person then or realised how short (petite??) I am. I still remember him saying this when he hugged me at the airport – “Phing, if we ever dance, it is not a cheek to cheek dancing, it is a belly to cheek dancing!” and he roared with laughter! I visited Kiew2 Yit in 1989 again with hubby Gerard and sister Faustina. Over the years, we visited and stayed with Kiew2 Yit many times. In 1992 when Gerard was based in Ivrea, Italy, we stopped over in London on route to Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1994, I stayed with Kiew2 Yit when I was 6 months’ pregnant with my son at the time when Gerard went over for a course in the UK. The last time we visited Kiew2 Yit and Kiew Nyong Tong Lan was in December 2013 on a day visit with our children, Rylan and Reanne who never visited London before. Food was always in abundant whenever I visited and I would be spoilt with all the delicious food Kiew2 Yit and Kiew Nyong Tong Lan cooked. Kiew2 Yit was always so welcoming. My Kiew2 Yit had this twinkle in his eyes always, a man with a big heart, who had this gentleness in him that even when one gets reproached by him, they would not have felt that they have been reprimanded. He is much loved by all who knew him. I will miss him dearly and forever hold him dear in my heart. “Those we love do not go away They walk beside us every day Unseen, unheard but always near, Still loved, still missed and ever so dear” May we all find comfort and peace in the happy memories we have of Kiew2 Yit. Rest in peace, dear Kiew2 Yit, you are now in God’s loving arms. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul rest in peace. Forever loved and missed by Niece Mariana (Phing), Gerard, Rylan & Reanne (Kuala Lumpur/Melbourne/Perth)

PakPak was cheerful, kind hearted, tidy, organised and calm and always thinking of others. He was a good cook and there was an extensive range of food when he threw a party – tofu, seafood, chicken, beef, pork, duck and there was always pakchoi. I remember too PakPak always asking to help yourself to canned drinks from the drinks trolley. When I was younger I sometimes went to stay with grandma, PakPak and Aunty Susan during school holidays. One year I remember it being on the run up to Christmas, I watched Aunty Susan making Christmas cake from scratch, putting the marzipan layer, then icing on. PakPak was wrapping tins of Quality Street and tins of biscuits. I was always so amazed at PakPak’s patience and skill at wrapping presents. Likewise with his skill working on those BT Green Cabinets. All I see is a mass of wires, but PakPak could make sense of it. Every time I pass one of those Green Cabinets I think of PakPak. Thank you PakPak for the love and care you have shown to my family. I miss you very much. Yun x

My childhood memories of Uncle Yit Fah are ones that I hold close. Although separated by distance, my Uncle Yit Fah would call and speak to the family. His voice over the phone line would transcend the distance and fold time and space.. and for me, that was incredibly comforting. We were always happy each time he rang.   I admired his spirit of seeing the world and his vibrancy. I felt very fortunate to see him with auntie on their last trip to Australia in 2016.  The measure of a person is defined by the life they lived and the impact on the people around them. My Kiew Kiew lived it to the fullest, and we (my siblings and I) have incredible memories of our Kiew Kiew.  

We are saddened by the passing of Yit Fah, our brother and brother-in-law. He was a wonderful person who was kind and generous to his friends and relatives , and above all he was a loving and devoted husband to Tong Lan. Yit Fah had regularly contacted us by telephone from United Kingdom or China. Almost all these calls initiated by him had carried on over a period of more than 30 years. In fact, his last telephone call to us was 3 months before he passed away. On reflection, the purpose of his last telephone call was his way to say final good-bye. We miss him always.

Uncle Wong was a handsome, good smiling and energetic handyman. He always offered help to relatives and friends without them asking . Uncle was an excellent chef. If I did not imitate his cooking skills, I wouldn’t be a good chef at home today . My two daughters Olivia and Serena loved Uncle’s cooking as well as their dad ‘s cooking, a copycat from Uncle . We will miss Uncle dearly !

Over the years, uncle Yit Fah & aunty Tong Lan had helped my husband & I in many ways, from the birth of our elder daughter to the university years of our younger daughter.   During uncle’s younger days, he would always invite large number of friends to their home to celebrate Chinese New Year and Christmas. His culinary skill was superb. Uncle was caring and with sense of humour. In his and aunty’s time of need, regretfully I am not able to assist them much except regularly communicate via phone. So, I now bide you goodbye, dearest uncle, rest in peace, we will continue to visit aunty. I know your greatest fear were pain owing to your illness and also about aunty’s future. Rest in peace, uncle.

My earliest memories of Uncle Yit Fah was from when I was around 6 years when he visited us in Brunei. It was the first time I met my mother’s younger brother. To me, he was a giant with a booming voice. For the duration of his stay, I was his shadow as I was so intrigued with him. If I recall correctly, it was around then that my Uncle gave me my first taste of alcohol, a sip of his beer.  The last time I saw Uncle was in 2016, when he visited Perth with Aunty Tong Lan. I am glad that I had the opportunity to introduce my family to Uncle and for him to meet my son, his grand nephew. Rest In Peace Yit Fah Kiew Kiew. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Patrick, Denise & Bryan

I will always remember Uncle Yit Fah and Aunty Tong Lan with fond memories especially memories of my visits to their lovely home when I was a student in the UK. Both were culinary extraordinaire in their own rights. While Uncle was the master in savoury dishes, Aunty specilized in all sorts of traditional cakes and desserts. I would always gain a few kilos after spending just a week or so with them. Uncle Yit Fah was such a gentle giant and he took really good care of Aunty. I remember him asking me to be extra light-footed during the day as Aunty needed her sleep after her night shifts. Uncle was also extremely generous. When he knew that I needed a typewriter, he got me a high end machine. I was ever grateful for that gift as it had enabled me to churn out pages after pages of assignments on time. My sister and I will also forever cherish the memories of their visits to Taiping too especially when it coincided with the durian season. Both were durian lovers. So, we would go ‘durian-hunting’ a couple of days before their arrival. Seeing them savouring the fruits with such contentment later was therapeutic. The last time we met Uncle Yit Fah and Aunty Tong Lan was in 2018. They visited Taiping with Uncle Ee Khong and wife. Of course we had a feast of durians. Uncle Ee Khong passed on in February and I guess both our dear uncles will now have a reunion in heaven. Uncle Yit Fah, you will always be in our hearts. Rest in peace. Chit Sien & Ming Siew