Obituary for Ronald Kwong Wah Tom
TOM, Ronald Kwong-Wah 譚光華
Passed away peacefully at the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa Ontario with family by his side on Saturday February 25, 2023, in his 77th year. Ron was a native of Oong Moin Lai, the family’s ancestral home in Hoi Peng (Kaiping) County, Canton (Guangdong) Province, China. He was born to parents Fook Koy and Gui Fong during his father’s return to China in the years during the Japanese invasions, his parents being kept apart on two different continents since their marriage in 1930 due to the Chinese Exclusion Act . Fook Koy was required to return to Canada without his bride in order to maintain his Canadian citizenship. When the Exclusion Act was repealed in 1947, efforts were made to bring his young family to Belleville where Fook Koy had established his businesses. Ron was prevented by Canadian Immigration officials from joining his mother and elder brothers Henry and Don on their trip to Canada from Hong Kong where they had sought temporary refuge after fleeing the Communist take-over in Mainland China. Ron remained in Hong Kong with his Maternal Grandmother until a lengthy legal battle with Immigration officials in Ottawa ultimately proved that Ron was indeed the offspring of his parents. The story of the reunification was published nationally by newspaper media at the time. Ron attended Queen Mary Public School, Belleville Collegiate Institute and Calvary Temple during his youth in Belleville. Ron began his career with Revenue Canada,in Belleville and was transferred to Sudbury where he finished his career and stayed for a number of years following retirement before moving to Kanata Ontario where his young brothers Robert and Brian had made their home. As a teen, Ron served briefly with the Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment where one of his awards was for Top Marksman. During Ron’s time in Belleville, he was well-known for his prowess in billiards (poet/icon Al Purdy being one of his victims), won armloads of trophies in bowling and was a force to be reckoned with on the tennis courts. Later, Ron spent most of his days on the golf course. Ron is survived by brothers Henry (Susan) , Don (Maria), Robert and Brian and nephews Andrew (Suzanne) and Stephen .
Visitation at RUSHNELL FUNERAL HOMES Belleville, 80 Highland Ave. on Wednesday, March 15th 2023 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm. Funeral Service in the Chapel at 2:00 pm. Interment Belleville Cemetery immediately following Chapel Service. Friends are invited to attend a repast at the North China Buffet following interment. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Kidney Foundation or Almonte General Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
Online memories and condolences can be shared at www.rushnell.com
Passed away peacefully at the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa Ontario with family by his side on Saturday February 25, 2023, in his 77th year. Ron was a native of Oong Moin Lai, the family’s ancestral home in Hoi Peng (Kaiping) County, Canton (Guangdong) Province, China. He was born to parents Fook Koy and Gui Fong during his father’s return to China in the years during the Japanese invasions, his parents being kept apart on two different continents since their marriage in 1930 due to the Chinese Exclusion Act . Fook Koy was required to return to Canada without his bride in order to maintain his Canadian citizenship. When the Exclusion Act was repealed in 1947, efforts were made to bring his young family to Belleville where Fook Koy had established his businesses. Ron was prevented by Canadian Immigration officials from joining his mother and elder brothers Henry and Don on their trip to Canada from Hong Kong where they had sought temporary refuge after fleeing the Communist take-over in Mainland China. Ron remained in Hong Kong with his Maternal Grandmother until a lengthy legal battle with Immigration officials in Ottawa ultimately proved that Ron was indeed the offspring of his parents. The story of the reunification was published nationally by newspaper media at the time. Ron attended Queen Mary Public School, Belleville Collegiate Institute and Calvary Temple during his youth in Belleville. Ron began his career with Revenue Canada,in Belleville and was transferred to Sudbury where he finished his career and stayed for a number of years following retirement before moving to Kanata Ontario where his young brothers Robert and Brian had made their home. As a teen, Ron served briefly with the Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment where one of his awards was for Top Marksman. During Ron’s time in Belleville, he was well-known for his prowess in billiards (poet/icon Al Purdy being one of his victims), won armloads of trophies in bowling and was a force to be reckoned with on the tennis courts. Later, Ron spent most of his days on the golf course. Ron is survived by brothers Henry (Susan) , Don (Maria), Robert and Brian and nephews Andrew (Suzanne) and Stephen .
Visitation at RUSHNELL FUNERAL HOMES Belleville, 80 Highland Ave. on Wednesday, March 15th 2023 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm. Funeral Service in the Chapel at 2:00 pm. Interment Belleville Cemetery immediately following Chapel Service. Friends are invited to attend a repast at the North China Buffet following interment. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Kidney Foundation or Almonte General Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
Online memories and condolences can be shared at www.rushnell.com