Tek Hong Wong (1921-2016) was born in China and emigrated at 17 to Seattle, first working with his father at a laundry business, and later at neighborhood market. In 1944-1945, Wong served in the U.S. Army, earning a Purple Heart. Afterwards, he attended the University of Washington on the GI Bill. After college, Wong became a partner in a grocery store in Queen Anne, and later owned the Gim Ling Restaurant at 516 7th Avenue South in the Chinatown International District. Wong was active in the Chinatown community, and helped found the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, serving in various positions there in the 1960s-70s.
This photograph was taken as part of a 1965 newspaper report about the effect of a recent fatal shooting on businesses in the Chinatown International District neighborhood. Tek Wong was one of several Chinese businesses owners and civic leaders interviewed for the article. At the time, Tek Wong rain the Gim Ling Restaurant, and served as Vice President of the Cnihatown Chamber of Commerce. Here, Wong stands behind the cash register at the Gim Lin Restaurant.
Caption information source: “IN MEMORY OF: Tek Hong Wong (1921–2016),” obituary in Northwest Asian Weekly, retrieved at http://nwasianweekly.com/2016/03/memory-tek-hong-wong-1921-2016/. Caption information source:"Linyen booms; Chinatown glooms," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 15, 1965, p. 11
ID Number: 1986.5.45000.1
Date: 1965
Physical Description: 1 acetate negative : b&w ; 2.25 x 2.25 in.
