Namesake

Wing Gay Fong came to the United States at the age of 13 to help his uncles who owned the Silver Cafe in downtown Las Vegas. He attended the third grade in Las Vegas, at the Fifth Street Elementary School, but he worked to skip grades and catch up to graduate with his classmates from Las Vegas High School in 1946.

After graduation, Wing moved to California to attended Woodburry College where he earned a Business Administration degree in three years. He also met his future wife, Lilly Ong Hing there.

Lilly Fong was eldest of ten children born to Helen and Ong Chun Hing. Lilly’s father immigrated to the United States in 1912 and with family members opened restaurants in the Phoenix area. In 1921 he established a branch of the American Kitchen Restaurant in Superior, Arizona that was half restaurant and half grocery store. Lilly’s mother Helen was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, but returned to China in 1903 where she lived until she became a ‘picture bride’.

Before they had met in person the couple was married in a traditional Buddhist ceremony in 1921. Ong left his new bride in China for two years while he completed the first home built by an Asian American in Arizona. It was located adjacent to the business. In 1925 Lilly was born in Superior, Arizona. In 1930 Helen took her five-year old daughter and three younger siblings to China to care for her ailing mother.

Wing Fong

Lilly Fong

Lilly spent the next seven years in China where she began her education. She reported that children played marbles, checkers and hopscotch for fun, while in the classroom they memorized the last will and testament of Sun Yat-Sen. They also explored the history of the dynasties and the birth of the Chinese Republic while the ethical and moral teachings of Confucius also were a part of the curriculum. In addition, manipulating the abacus, executing lines and strokes of calligraphy and painting dragons on bamboo with a brush were learned. Lilly felt that her Chinese instruction was ‘firmly grounded’.

In 1937 when the war with Japan began, Lilly’s father brought the family back to Arizona. He was a firm believer in education and she often recalled his quote, “Confucius said education is the equalizer of all. It knows no distinction in class. If I give you money you would spend it, so I am going to give you an education that is going to last for life.” Their parents worked and sacrificed so this would become possible and eventually all ten children in the Hing family earned degrees in various fields. Lilly was the first child in this family to earn a college degree and graduated from Arizona State University in Tempe.

She met her future husband, Wing Fong, while he was a student at Woodbury College in California and they were married in 1950.

The new Fong family made their home in Las Vegas where Wing became a manager for the Las Vegas Bottling Co. and later opened Fong’s Gardens Restaurant that became a favorite eating establishment of local residents. Meanwhile, he also became active in banking and real estate. Wing opened his own grocery store on South First and Gass Street, and in 1955, he opened the town’s first specialty restaurant and shopping center on East Charleston Boulevard. He is currently president of Wing Fong’s Enterprises.

Wing Fong consistently engaged in civic and philanthropic activities, donating time as well as money. One entire day’s proceeds from his business was donated to the Optimists Club for youth work and another day’s receipts went to Nevada Southern University (now UNLV) library for needed books and reference materials. In 1968, he was chairman of the Grand Founders Fund Drive for the NSU Center of the Performing Arts.

He has served as director of the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the National Conference of the Christians and Jews, Director of the Las Vegas Rotary International Club, Member of the Civilian Military council, Trustee of the Las Vegas Presbyterian Church, and Chairman of St. Jude’s Children’s Home in Boulder City. He also was on the advisory board of Opportunity Village.

Lilly was the first Asian American to be hired by the Clark County School District and taught for five years at the Fifth Street Elementary and West Charleston schools. In 1952 she was recognized as an outstanding teacher in Clark County. In 1955 a son, Kenneth was born, followed by a daughter, Susan who joined the family in 1957.

Hard work and dedication have marked Lilly Fong’s involvement in a community service with UNLV for the past 30 years. She served as regent for the University of Nevada system from 1974-1985. She has also served as past state president. American Association of University Women: past vice, chairman, governor’s Commission on the Status of Women, member of U.S. Small Business Advisory Council, Member of Opportunity Village Advisory Board, and member of the Las Vegas Symphony Board of Directors.