Moon Fong

Fong, Moon Lan of Minnetonka, and mother of noted Bloomington restaurateur David Fong, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on April 26 of natural causes. She was 97. Moon Fong was born on August 16, 1914 in a small village of Tai Shan, Guangdong Province, China. In 1949 her husband, Lee Fong, came back from the U. S. to bring her and their children to Minneapolis. Together they managed the family's restaurant, Moy Café, in north Minneapolis. For several decades Moon kept an open house for extended family members and friends as they arrived in the Twin Cities from their home village in China. A self taught Chinese poet and calligrapher, she nurtured generations of Chinese Americans in the Twin Cities in their cultural heritage, dispensing encouragement and providing a role model of duty, volunteerism, quiet understatement, and elegance. The 2009 publication of her book, Reflections, was the culmination of her lifelong learning and distillations of Chinese philosophy and practices. For the last decade of her life she lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Patti-Yin and Scott Simpson, and kept an open house. Her delicious cooking, radiant smile, and joyful company lifted the spirits of everyone who stopped by. Preceded in death by her husband, Lee Fong, Moon is survived by her three devoted children and their spouses, David & Helen Fong, Patti-Yin & Scott Simpson, and Stephen and Kirsten Fong: 11 grandchildren and their spouses, Edward & Blanche Fong, Donald & Wendy Fong, Amy Fong & Bob Howard, Barbara Fong & Rody Portier, Cindy & Leo Le, and David Jr. & Amy Fong, Ben Woodson and Stephanie Ellstrom, Stephani & Dan Scheuermann, Alex Woodson, Corey Simpson and Todd Chamberlin, and Heather Simpson and Trey Whitecotton; and 18 great- grandchildren and their spouses, Christopher Fong, Daniel Fong, Ricky & Stacey Fong, Bobby Fong, Mia Howard, Helena Howard, Haley Portier, Gerrit Portier, Hannah Le, Abby Le, Cameron Le, David Fong III, Elizabeth Fong, Max Woodson, Bella Ellstrom, Claire Woodson, Grant Scheuermann, and Leela Simpson; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Visitation will be on Sunday, May 6, 2-5 PM at Washburn McReavy Funeral Chapel, 2300 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN 55431 (952) 884-8145. A celebration of Moon's life will take place at Washburn McReavy on Monday, May 7, 10 AM, followed by interment at Lakewood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to either the Chinese Senior Citizens Society or the Chinese Heritage Foundation.

Moon Fong

April 29, 2012

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