Tributes

Fing Lew Young, who with her husband owned and operated Wah Young Grocery Market, Food Budget and Tom’s Liquors, died surrounded by her family on February 23. She was 93. Born in 1925 in San Antonio, she was the older daughter of Moon Fong and Shee Wong Lew. Her father was one of the “Pershing Chinese,” who immigrated to the United States via Mexico in 1917 after assisting the army expedition led by General John Pershing and assigned to capture Pancho Villa. Later, her father was among the city’s first Chinese citizens and merchants, establishing a grocery store near the farmers market in the downtown area. As a teenager, she helped her parents at their store and attended Brackenridge High School. In 1944, she married Thomas Woo Young and soon played a key role in the success of the couple’s three retail ventures, overseeing the front office, payroll and banking for each successive neighborhood business. She was equally devoted to her growing family, instilling the values of honesty, generosity and compassion and always stressing the importance of education and hard work. Following her retirement in 1997, she enjoyed opportunities to spend more time with her friends and relatives, attend theater and music productions and travel across the United States and to China. She was preceded in death by her husband and brothers Jeffrey, Joe, Quon and George. She is survived by her children, Lettie, Douglas (Veronica Burris), Janet, Rosalind (Gary Watson), Emily (Preston Lerner), Lisa (Matt Assiff) and Howard (Fong) Woo; her grandchildren, Charlie Assiff, Anne (Gerald) Yee, Donna (Steve) Chong, Pak Kin (Wan Liang) Wu, Yuk Ming (Jin Ming) Huang and Philip (Karen) Woo; and her great grandchildren, Kyle and Jordan Yee, Madelyn Chong, Sandy and Jenny Wu, Aaron and Daniel Huang, and Denny and Wilton Woo. Other survivors include her sister, Fing H. (K.M.) Ng; her brother Ken (Emma) Lew; her sisters-in-law, Lynn and Elsie Lew; and several nieces and nephews. Her family thanks Veronda Patterson, Janie Closna and Virginia Gutierrez for their attentive companionship and Dr. Paul Garcia for his professional care. Friends and family members are invited to a visitation from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Mission Park Funeral Chapels South, 1700 Southeast Military Drive. The funeral service and interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org), Morningside Ministries Senior Living Communities (mmliving.org) or the charitable organization of one’s choice.

Tributes

Fing Lew Young

February 23, 2019