Waifong Ng

Wai Fong Ng, “Fonnie”, 79, of Hong Kong, entered eternal rest peacefully at her Palo Alto home on 30th January, 2026. She was a beloved mother of three daughters and grandmother of five grandchildren. Her tender presence will be deeply missed.

Born in Macau in 1946, Fonnie’s childhood was an arduous one — her parents were gone when she was only a toddler. Fleeing communist China, she eventually settled in Hong Kong in her early teens. Keeping a stiff upper lip, she held her early struggles and hardships close until much later in her life. Even when she did speak about them, she would brush it off, saying, “There’s nothing interesting about the past.”

Despite a challenging start with no education or family support, her strong work ethic shone across her different roles, from a craftswoman at a small sequin factory to owning her fashion boutique in Central, where she sold imported Japanese womenswear in her thirties. She had always believed in the importance of work and purpose.

Beyond building her business, she was an uncompromising mother — not only to her three daughters, but also to herself. She insisted on cooking every meal, ensuring the home was spotlessly clean, and her children would get the best education available so that they could face whatever challenges lay ahead of them.

After the passing of Jackson Ting, her affectionate husband of 34 years,  in 2006, Fonnie took up Tai Chi. With her usual committed spirit, she did not merely view it as a late-in-life hobby. She won several senior tournaments and travelled to China and even Portland, Oregon, to learn from the finest Tai Chi masters she could find. Practising the art for more than two decades, she made many friends along the way, who showered her with care and encouragement during her final battle with cancer. 

A self-taught woman who built her life from nothing through sheer will and quiet strength, Fonnie leaves behind not only a loving family, but an enduring example of resilience and devotion. She is survived by her daughters, Pamela, Marian and Loretta, and her grandchildren, Alicia, Alvina, Alfred, Calvin and Mina.