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| Boo, Mrs Hong, Jean, Jim, Yen |
For about 100 years in the history of Chapleau, Fong Hong, his wife Sue, affectionately called "Ma" and their family have been associated with business in the community headed since about 1960 by Jimmy Hong.
It all began when Fong Hong arrived in the village circa 1916, and started Hong's Laundry which he closed and in 1924 opened the restaurant which to my generation was called the Boston Cafe. After Fong Hong died in 1940, Mrs. Hong continued to operate the restaurant and raised their four children: Yen, Jean, Jimmy and Harry (Boo).
Jimmy who had graduated from Chapleau High School, attended Ryerson and returned home to help his mother and took over the management of the restaurant in 1960. In due course, it was totally renovated and emerged with a new name -- the Redwood and Hongrs. He was actively involved in the Chapleau business community for most of his life. Growing up he helped out in the restaurant with his sister and brothers.
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| Fong Hong |
When Jimmy died on April 1 at age 79, it marked the end of an era in the community's history even though he had retired within the past two years. His brother Yen, who had built the Bridgeview Motel retired in 2009, while sister Jean, a retired nurse lives in Toronto and Harry died some years ago.
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| Jean, Jim Yen 2012 |
I have such fond memories of growing up with the Boston being our central place as kids where we went to hang out and to play as well.
Although Boo was more my age, Jimmy would often join us upstairs above the restaurant, and the late Harry 'Butch' Pellow recalled one anecdote in which I was involved the day Jimmy gave us boxing lessons.
Butch noted that Jimmy had boxing gloves, and when it came time for my lesson I was "whacked in the face and called it a day."
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| Jim and I in deep hockey discussion. He won!!!! |
So much for boxing but Jimmy and I remained friends and I had good good visits with him at the Chapleau High School reunion in 2012, at a party in Toronto at Butch and Brigitte's in 2014 and in Chapleau when he made the Redwood our headquarters for the launch of The Chapleau Boys Go To War which I co-wrote with Michael McMullen in 2015.
Jimmy and all the Hong family were involved sports and Butch recalled in an article called GO BOSTON that he was "A powerful steady and fast skater and great stick handler".
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| Jim and Butch 2014 |
After reading a piece by Lillian (Donivan) Therriault about the family in Chapleau Trails, edited by Dr. William R. `Bill`Pellow, a member of another Chapleau pioneer family I recalled one hockey anecdote in which Jimmy was involved.
She wrote: "Ma Hong let the boys turn the restaurant into a hockey arena on two successive Sundays and the front entrance door and back kitchen door were used as goalposts. Over the next two Sundays, the boys easily managed to wreak havoc on the family business breaking the glass in the front door and destroying the large wind-up pendulum clock hanging over the back door. Ma Hong closed the arena!!!!" Great fun while it lasted. I was there!
Bill Hong, Yen's son, who played on the team, shared the story of all seven of his family members participating in the same hockey game.
Bubbie, one of Yen Hong's daughters and to the best of my knowledge the first girl to play organized hockey in Chapleau was on the team and was also the captain. Bill commented: "How do you think I felt with my sister as captain of the hockey team!" Bill played defense while his sister played right wing.
Jimmy Hong was the referee and his son Murray was one of the linesmen. Three more of Jimmy's sons --Geoff on defense, Doug at centre and Barry on left wing were all named on the scoresheet. Only Steven was not involved in the game.
We also played river hockey on the ice beside the old town dock at the beach on the "front river" which was usually brutally cold but who cared!!!
Jimmy played on the famous Chapleau High School team of 1956-57, and after retiring as a player refereed Junior B and Intermediate games for many years. When I returned home to Chapleau in 1968, Jimmy and Raoul Lemieux got me involved as an official again.
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| CHS Hockey team 1956-57 |
While attending high school he also served as an officer in 1181 CHS Cadet Corps and on the Student Council. He also played in the Chapleau fastball league, and curled. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge.
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| Stan Barty, Ian Macdonald, Neil Ritchie, David McMillan, Jim Hong 1957 |
No story about any member of the Hong family would be complete without a mention of Ma Hong's Boston Cream Pie. I am not sure if Jimmy was taught the secret to it but I had some on the three occasions I have seen him in recent years. His sons Murray, Doug and Geoff and sister Jean, and brother Yen had it for sure.
Jimmy Hong was my friend, along with other family members for over 70 years. I was so touched with the outpouring of affection for him when the news that he had died was posted on Facebook.
I think Lillian (Donivan) Therriault summed it all up. She wrote that Hong and Ma had "richly blessed the small community of Chapleau indelibly leaving their mark, not only on the landscape but on its citizens.... and also given their chosen community a warm and unforgettable example of the true Canadian spirit."
Rest in peace Jimmy. My deepest sympathy to the Hong family. My email is mj.morris