Mr. Wing Kong Chan (陳均柱; 號應洽) was born in Guangdong, China (廣東台山) in 1910. At fourteen, he immigrated to the Philippines where he eventually built a productive life and successful business in bread and baked-goods production.
A strong believer in the value of education, Mr. Chan served as a director of the school board of Manila Chinese Patriotic School, a popular Chinese (Cantonese) language elementary school in Manila. Mr. Chan was likewise committed to the welfare of the Chinese community. He held leadership positions as president of the Chan Family Association (Chan Wing Cheung Fraternity [菲律濱粵僑陳穎川堂]) and a member of the Board of Directors of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in his community. In these capacities, he generously supported their philanthropic missions.
In his retirement years, Mr. Chan and his wife, Lee Siao Lian (李小蓮), settled in Beaverton, Oregon enjoying the comfort and company of their children and grandchildren. He passed away in January, 1993.
It was with gratitude and hope that this Wing Kong Chan Memorial Scholarship was created by his children in 1994. May each recipient turn this small gift into a big stepping stone to academic success.
This Scholarship was established by Terry and Debbie Chung (children of Warren and Ella Chung) to honor and emphasize the symbols that they represented in hard work and commitment to the community. Both Warren and Ella recognized that classroom successful students may not have the economic support necessary to attend post-secondary schooling. This is our way of encouraging those students to continue their education and help their communities.
Gock Jack Lee was born in 1895 in Sui Low village, Toisan, Guangdong, China and immigrated to Portland with his mother, Wong Jin, in 1908. They joined his father, Lee Hong, who managed Bow Yuen, a dry goods store on N 4th Avenue, in “New Chinatown”. Dad was tutored in English, in which his father was fluent, and attended Lincoln High School and University of Oregon and graduated from University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1922 with a Business B.A., a suitable fit for a man who loved talking with everyone. He joined his father in his multiple partnerships including Bow Yuen, Far East Trading Co, Tuck Chong and Co.(grocery/meat market), Portland Noodle Factory, Bamboo Inn (restaurant), Golden Pheasant Cafe, and Oregon Fireworks (fireworks and toy wholesaler). He married Hazel Louie from “Old Chinatown” in 1939 and they settled in Ladd’s Addition on Hickory Street.
Randy and Sherri Lee 
Wing Jung Lee was born in 1910 and his wife Poy King Lee was born in 1909, both in China. Mr Lee immigrated to Portland as a teenager in 1916. He worked his entire life in several restaurants, first as kitchen helper and then as cook and chef. Following his World War II service in the US Navy he brought his wife and children from China to Portland in 1947. Mrs. Lee worked several years as a seamstress. Her ready smile and friendly attitude quickly earned her a new name from her coworkers. They called her “Happy.” She also loved making delicious dim sum for family and friends who looked forward to her phone calls to “come and pick up” the freshly made treats. You see, the family never owned an automobile.
GEORGE LEONG 1925 – 2003
Liu Chi lived a life dedicated to a love of athletics and community. A graduate of Taiwan National Normal University, with a physical education degree, he was the youngest certified International Basketball referee in the history of Taiwan. He worked as a physical education instructor at Chung Chi Univerisity before coming to the US in 1972 to continue his education. In 1976, he represented Taiwan as a swimming judge at the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal.
Dr. Sam B Liu was born near Canton (Guangzhou), China and immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1925. He was educated in Portland Oregon at Reed College and Oregon Health Sciences University Medical School. Dr. Liu served his country honorably as a Major in the U.S. Army during WWII. During his service, he was a surgeon in North Africa, Corsica and Italy with the U.S. Air Force, 25th Airborne Unit.
Shelton and Isabella Low were reared & lived in Portland their entire lives. He was a member of the famed Flying Tigers during WWII. They passed away 2001 & 2004 respectively. They loved Portland and in particular the Chinese community.
On May 20, 1931 in the coastal town of Astoria Oregon, Nancy Beatrice Lum was born and where she lived until the summer of 1948 just prior to her senior year in high school. With her mother, Mary Lum, they then moved to Oakland, California for her senior year in anticipation of matriculating into University of California – Berkeley as a freshman. She spent such a lonely year there, missing her many friends and family, that immediately after graduating from Oakland High School in June of 1949, she and her mother returned to Astoria. There in the fall term of 1949, she enrolled in the School of Pharmacy at Oregon State University. She graduated in 1953 with a B.S degree in Pharmacy and upon passing the pharmacy board examination, she became a licensed pharmacist. She worked as a pharmacist for a few years until her first son was born in 1956. After raising her family, she returned to pharmacy work at the Portland Veterans Hospital for 11 years until her retirement in 1996.
Robert Kong Saiget was born Jan. 15, 1923, in Astoria Oregon and passed away in Portland on March 7, 2006, at the age of 83. Born near the mouth of the Columbia River, Robert spent his youth fishing, swimming and boating along the river where he grew up with Chinese immigrants on Astoria’s famed cannery row. Following his 1946 honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, where Robert served as a sergeant in the China theatre, he returned home and graduated from Oregon State University as an electrical engineer. Following graduation, Robert moved to Portland where he spent 34 years at Bonneville Power Administration working to harness the “Great River of the West” and provide electricity to the region. Robert wedded Bertha Lee in 1952 and they devoted their lives to raising their five children and doting on their eight grandkids. He actively served on the Portland Chinese Scholarship Foundation during the early years. Always fascinated with his Chinese roots, Robert remained a history buff throughout his life and regularly read the latest books on China’s history and development. If his spiritual life could be characterized, it surely would be one that had Taoist leanings, with Robert’s sense of patience and humility – and his inner peace – his defining traits. His family established this scholarship to honor his memory in 2006.
Born on April 2, 1931 in Portland’s New Chinatown to William and Esther Wong, Bruce Luen Wong lived his life to the fullest with his greatest treasures: his family, his friends, and his community.
Mrs. J.P. Quon was born in China in 1900 and immigrated to the United States with her husband, Wong Cue, in the early 1900s. They settled in Spokane Washington, but later moved to Butte Montana. Her husband was a tailor. Before he passed away, he made many patterns for shirt making. Mrs. Wong had six children who were all born in Montana. As a single mom she made shirts to support her family. She also sprouted soy beans and made tofu which the kids sold to the local Chinese community.
Kelly Wong was born in Butte, Montana in 1924 where he received his elementary and high school education. Upon his graduation, he was drafted into the Army and sent to Infantry Replacement School at Camp Wolters, Texas. Upon completion of basic training, he was sent overseas to Hawaii, Saipan, Okinawa and The Philippines. In Okinawa he was assigned to the 96th Infantry Division, 381st Regiment as a rifleman. After the campaign the entire Division was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action against the enemy in the conquest of Okinawa. The Presidential Unit Citation is normally awarded to battalions or smaller units. Thus this is only one of four armored, infantry or airborne divisons that have been so honored in their entirety for World War II. Kelly was also awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and a Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster.
Ying Shun Yee was born in China in 1920 and immigrated to The United States at an early age. She was employed at various manufacturing sites in Portland. After the death of her first husband, Mr. Chin, she married Hung Wei (Happy) Wong.
Andrew Yang was born on March 22, 1988. He was a most wonderful kid, full of life. He was an Angel that God gave me at a very difficult time of my life and he sustained me. When I was sad, he would come and curl up to me and hugged me for hours.
The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA) was founded in November 1987, and the Portland City Council officially approved Kaohsiung as Portland’s Sister City on May 11, 1988. The official sister city agreement was signed on October 11, 1988 during the Association’s first goodwill mission to Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
The Portland Lee’s Association (also known as the Lee On Dong Association or the Lee Family Association) was established around 1881 in the back of a business owned by a Mr. Lee. As the membership grew, the Association bought their first building in New Chinatown at NW 3rd and Davis St. but years later, the building tragically burned down in 1960. In early 1970, the Association bought another building at SE 24th and Ankeny St and remained there for over 20 years. Over these years, the membership continued to grow, and the building became too small for their needs. So in 1989, a group of leaders headed by Dr. Sam Won along with Charles and Susan Lee, began to search for a new building. With donations from local and national Lee members, and help from the San Francisco Lee Family Association headquarters, they were able to purchase and remodel the current building located at 1101 SE Salmon St. in 1990.
The Rosa L Kong Memorial Scholarship commemorates the life of a successful professional and caring individual whose immigrant family has deep roots in the Portland community.