Obituary of Edward Hack Kin Wong

With great sadness, the family announces the passing of our beloved Eddie at the age of 77 years. He was an amazing man who lived his life with great integrity and kindness. Eddie was exceptional as a devoted and proud husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. His love and support of the Arts and Sport in Calgary will always live forever in our hearts. A faithful friend, he will be remembered for his caring nature and his humanitarian contributions to a wide range of charities. Eddie was a man who worked behind the scenes with no expectation of recognition or reward. We all know that if there is a special event to be organized in Heaven, Eddie will be the one to lead the charge. With open arms, he welcomed everyone into his life. Faithful, dedicated, kind, classy, generous, loving, an awesome dresser and a lifelong passion for the game of golf, these are the words that describe our Eddie. He will be an inspiration to all who knew him for many years to come. The world is a better place for having had him with us. Eddie was born on September 3, 1931 in Castor, Alberta and was educated in Lacombe and Edmonton where his love of the arts lead him to the stage where he performed in many plays. He moved to Calgary in 1959 and opened the Purple Lantern Restaurant. He continued his commitment to the theatre by producing many successful stage performances. He co-founded Mac Fourteen which later became known as Theatre Calgary. Recognizing the need to provide ticketing services in Calgary, Eddie founded The Bay Ticket Wickets which is now known as Ticket Master. Eddie’s entrepreneurial spirit continued as he enthusiastically went to work each day till the time he was diagnosed in October 2007. His volunteer spirit was truly an inspiration to us all as he dedicated himself to many worthwhile causes. Our hearts will always smile as we think of how Eddie was the man "who could get the job done". Eddie is survived by his wife Helene; his daughters, Karrie Hogan (Dan), Kim Falls (Jeff), Kacy Kinkade (Tom), Tawny Dale; his son Joshua Wong (Stacy Miller); his nephew Darrell Wong: his grandchildren Brooke Dempsey (Kevin), Shane Fallis, Sophie Falls, Eli Falls, Petrea Watson (Mark), Emily Kinkade, Hanna Kinkade, Ashley Dale, Caitlyn Dale, Grady McMahan and Rafferty McMahan; and his great-granddaughter Natalie Dempsey. Eddie is also survived by his brother Paul Wong and his sisters Pearl Chow (Lemy) and Kaye Roach (Michael) as well as by numerous nieces and nephews. Eddie was predeceased by his sisters Rosie Pon and Mary Sakamoto; and his brothers, George Wong, Bill Wong, and Norman Wong. If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made directly to the Vocational & Rehabilitation Research Institute (VRRI), (3304 33 St. N.W., Calgary, AB, T2L 2A6.) The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to our "Doc Angel" Lois Milne and to Dr. Scott Dowden for shining a bright light on a difficult diagnosis. Funeral Services will be held at The First Alliance Church (12345 – 40th Street S.E.) on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 2:00 pm. A Celebration of Eddie’s Life will follow. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In living memory of Edward Wong, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES Park Memorial Chapel, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Telephone: (403) 243-8200.