I Had Several Close Chinese Friends As A Teenager And Young Adult

Discussion in 'People I Have Known' started by Lon Tanner, Sep 1, 2021.

  1. Lon Tanner

    Lon Tanner Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2016
    Messages:
    5,596
    Likes Received:
    5,318
    I was a teenager living in Oakland, California near China Town. Willard Fong lived five blocks away in a large four story building with his fathers Herb Parlor on the main floor. The other floors were apartments with Willard's aunties, uncles,nephews, family and a large kitchen/dining room where all families would congregate for meals. I had a number of meals in the huge dinning room with as many as 20 people. Willard's father was wealthy and owned the building as well as a hotel in Oakland and a restaurant thus in San Francisco Chinatown. Willard was a talented artist and aspired to a career as a commercial artist. I last saw Willard when he came to visit me in Napa California and he was actually woking as a commercial artist designing labels for cans of food.
    I had another good Chinese buddy with the unusual first name of Hawkins. The last name LEE, thus Hawkins Lee. But that's all another story.
     
    #1
    Marci Miller likes this.
  2. Lon Tanner

    Lon Tanner Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2016
    Messages:
    5,596
    Likes Received:
    5,318
    Willard's father was Fong Wan

    Fong Wan Herbs.jpg
     
    #2
    Marci Miller likes this.

Share This Page