Tong Yee

TONG YEE April 4, 1918 – June 6, 2013 Beloved husband of Yut Ong Yee.Dear father of Edmund (Eileen), Edgar (Pat) and Lila (Lance) Allward.Proud grandfather of Alyson Yee, Ben and Rachel Yee, Lindsay and Adrien Allward. If there’s anyone who lived the epitome of a true-to-life American immigration story, and one who attained the American Dream in the “Land of Golden Mountain,” it was Tong Yee. Tong was born on June 16, 1917 (based on Chinese calendar) in Guangzhao province in Southern China. He was the last surviving sibling of his generation, second youngest of 9 children of Zuen Wah and his mother was Wong Gail Hike. In 1931, when Tong was 14 years old, he ventured alone to the United States to make a better life for himself – and eventually the family that survives him today. Upon arriving in the USA and not able to speak English, he was detained for one month on Angel Island to be interrogated by US Immigrations. He then worked in a laundry for 4 months in San Francisco until his #4 brother, George, earned enough to send him money for a train ticket to join his siblings in Pittsburgh, PA. While in Pittsburgh, he was taught English by “Mother Bess” Prosser, who later “adopted” him. He went on to co-own and operate the Bamboo Garden Restaurant to finance his college education at the University of Pittsburgh, where he graduated with honors in Chemical Engineering. After graduation, he turned over the restaurant business to his youngest #8 brother, Ken, and broke through the laundry/restaurant mold to pursue a professional career in the automotive tire industry in the face of the Great Depression, WWII, and discrimination. His career included: Firestone (Akron, Ohio), Armstrong (West Haven, Connecticut) and Uniroyal (Detroit, Michigan). In fact, he was instrumental in developing the first poly-bias fiberglass-belted tire that Armstrong Rubber Company introduced in 1965. Tong married Yut Ong Lee on October 3, 1948 in Washington, D.C. They raised their family in West Haven, CT, then moved to St. Clair Shores, MI in 1967. Tong retired in 1981 and explored new interests to brighten the lives of others: traveling to spend time with family and grandchildren, helping Chinese immigrants with obtaining citizenship, golf & exercise, gourmet Chinese cooking, leather tooling, self-taught use of the PC, playing mahjong and eating dim sum with family and friends. He and Ong moved to Milford, MI in late 2012. Visitation at the O'Brien/Sullivan Funeral Home 41555 Grand River Novi on Monday June 17th from 10:00am until the memorial service at 12:00. Donations to honor Tong may be made to the Heritage Presbyterian Church 23415 Jefferson Ave St. Clair Shores MI. 48080