Obituary of William Yueyin Wong

The Reverend William Yueyin Wong of Woodstock Valley, CT. passed away May 31, 2007 at his home at the age of 76 after a long illness. "Mr. Wong", as he preferred to be called, served 35 years as an active parish minister including 28 years in the greater Pomfret-Woodstock community performing over 150 weddings and 250 funerals. He spent innumerable days visiting his parishioners in Day Kimball Hospital., and often joked that the hospital was the only place he would wear a clergy collar, so as not to be confused for a doctor. Mr. Wong was born to Christian parents in Guangzhou (Canton), China in 1930. In 1938, he fled with his Mother, three brothers and a sister from Hong Kong to the remote Northern Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. The family sought to escape the bombing and invasion by the Japanese military, and to live with their father who managed a coconut plantation. His family's idyllic, tropical life was upset in 1942 when the Japanese military invaded the Solomons and forced the family to hide in the jungle for twenty months. Late in 1943, after the U.S Marines and Army established a presence on Guadalcanal, the family, with the aid of native schooner operators and British Coastal Watchers, was safely escorted behind the American line. Along with his three brothers, Mr. Wong, at the age of 13, entered the employ of the U.S Army where he was befriended by many GI's and began learning English. After the war, at age 16, one of the GI's arranged for Mr. Wong to make the long journey to the U.S. by himself where he went to live with Col. Alexander Smith and his wife, Edah, of Montpelier, VT. who became his American family for the rest of their lives. Mr. Wong had performed work for Col. Smith on Guadalcanal. Mr. Wong was never to see his parents again. He was placed in the eighth grade after having received no formal schooling for nine years. He completed Montpelier High School in three years. He went on to earn a B.A degree from the University of Vermont. His time in Montpelier included happy experiences at the Bethany Congregational Church and attending church camps where he was often asked to share his life story and end the program by using his strong singing voice in a rendition of the hymn, "In Christ There is no East or West." After college, he was inspired to join the ministry, and enrolled in the Hartford Theological Seminary where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity and an M.A. in Religious Education. There, he met his future wife, the former Lucy Mills Humphrey of Canton, CT. who was studying for a Masters in Church Social Work. Mr. Wong became a U.S. citizen via legislation written by Senator George Aiken of Vermont and signed into law by President Eisenhower in 1956. He returned to the Bethany Congregational Church in 1959 to be ordained as a minister in The United Church of Christ with the Reverend Professor Paul Ross Lynn providing the sermon. Mr. Wong served the First Congregational Church of Westminster, VT. from 1959 to 1966. He served the First Congregational Church of Pomfret, CT. from 1966 to 1981 and also the Abington Congregational Church from 1973 to 1981. He worked for ten years with the developmentally-challenged at the John F. Dempsey Center in Putnam, CT. He served as the Pastor of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Woodstock Valley, CT. from 1983 to 1994. Upon his retirement, he was awarded the honor of Pastor Emeritus. Mr. Wong embraced many traditions of his adopted country and his passions included the Boston Red Sox, the UCONN Women's Basketball team, Chinese cooking, and fishing. He leaves his wife of 50 years, Lucy; his son, Michael of Mansfield, CT.; his son Jeffrey, and daughter-in-law, Judith, of Easton, CT.; daughter Penny and son-in-law Aguimar Carlos of Vineyard Haven, MA. and three beloved grandchildren, Reanne, Bill, and Lydia. He remained eternally grateful to the people of Vermont for welcoming him to the United States. Burial services will be private. A public memorial service will be conducted on Tuesday, June 5th at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Woodstock Valley at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Church of the Good Shepherd, P.O. Box 243, South Woodstock, CT. 06267. To share a memory with his family "Light a Candle" at www.smithandwalkerfh.com