Obituary of Don Gok Wah Wong

December 29, 1932 – Toishan, China

August 30, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Don Gok Wah Wong of Calgary, AB, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 30, 2024, at the age of 91 years.

Don was born in Baisha, Toishan, Guangdong, China on December 29, 1932, to Dong Shee Wong and Gilbert Wong. His parents had left Fargo, North Dakota, to return to China with their children as Gilbert Wong had been diagnosed with cancer and wanted to return to his native land. Don was the youngest of seven children and was the only one of his siblings born in China, as his brothers and sisters, Pearl, Ted, Lem, June, Bill, and Rose were all born in the United States. As a teenager, Don accompanied his mother to the neighbouring village and met Shirley Ying Lan Ma. They were married shortly thereafter in 1951, and their first son Norman was born in 1952 in Toishan. They then moved to Hong Kong and their second son John was born in 1955.

As Don was not born in the U.S. when all his siblings were returning to the U.S. it was decided that he should go to North America. He was able to get to Canada in 1956, starting his Canadian immigration journey in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, followed by Dawson Creek, British Columbia. After a short period in Ontario and BC, he heard that there were good jobs in Calgary as well as other people from Toishan, so as a young man, he moved to Calgary. He started his working life as a barber in China but quickly learned to be a cook at restaurants in Calgary including the iconic Linda Maes on Centre Street in Chinatown. During his tenure at Linda Maes, he learned the skills of baking pastries and was the resident baker in the restaurant responsible for making pies, raisin tarts, and the best butterhorns in Chinatown. After establishing himself, he sent for his wife Shirley and the boys, John and Norman, to come to Calgary from Hong Kong. In 1958 they took an airplane from Hong Kong to Vancouver and then arrived in Calgary to start their new life as immigrants. Their third son Peter was born in Calgary in 1959. After a few more years of working in Chinese restaurants in Calgary, and a brief stint in St. Paul, Minnesota, to work with his older brother Ted, Don struck out to Revelstoke to be a partner at the Manning Broadway Restaurant. This establishment was not only known for its food but in the interior of BC, it was one of the few places that made chocolates and candy from scratch. He and his family lived in Revelstoke from 1964 to 1966 and after two years gained enough experience and courage to move back to Calgary. In 1967, Canada’s Centennial Year, he opened the Golden Gate Restaurant, first in Willow Park, later moving it to Acadia where the restaurant remains to this day. At the Golden Gate Restaurant Don refined his cooking skills and perfected recipes for sweet and sour spareribs, almond chicken and his own concoction of egg roll stuffing that made deep frying easier and better tasting. He and Shirley operated the Golden Gate for over 23 years finally selling the operations to his son John who ran the restaurant for another decade. They retired in about 1990 and moved to Vancouver for several years before returning to Calgary again. They enjoyed many decades of playing Mah Jong in the Chinese Community and took the opportunity to take many trips cruising around the world and visiting Las Vegas, one of his favourite places to spend a few days.

Don and Shirley were married for over 70 years—they were each other’s constant companions throughout their lives. They were very proud of their three sons who they put through university through the financial success of their restaurant business. Norman became a professor of medicine at the University of Calgary and a specialist in endocrinology. He is married to Tracy, and they have two sons, Mark and Robbie. John, in addition to owning the restaurant for 10 years, got his doctorate degree in Chemistry and worked as a research scientist for Pfizer in Connecticut until his recent retirement. He is married to Avy, and they have three daughters, Michele, Rachel, and Liane. Peter obtained his law degree from Queen’s University and has practised law in Calgary for over 40 years. He is married to Lily, and they have a daughter Lucinda and a son Max. Their family grew large with the addition of their seven grandchildren, Mark (Denise), Robbie (Victoria), Michele (Jason), Rachel (Eric), Liane, Lucinda, and Max; and the five great-grandchildren, Victoria, Olivia, Isabella, Samuel, and Celine. They were truly blessed in life with prosperity, long life and family.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Don’s family here.

In living memory of Don Wong, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-276-2296.