We are bereft in announcing the sudden passing of Sam Sic Jong on June 28, 2023. Sam was the steady ground on which the foundation of our family sat and with this shift, we grieve deeply. A loyal and loving husband to Fay (née Chow), their marriage of 60 years was a testament to their devotion to family. Father to Winnifred (Stephen) and Vicki, he was the embodiment of a wise teacher, a fun companion and an ever-present supportive and loving parent. We must learn to soldier on without him, but knowing we were loved and loved him back with equal measure gives us some comfort. Sam was the proudest grandfather (Gung Gung) to Hollis and Griffin. To him, they were and remain perfect.

Sam Jong arrived in Canada in 1950 at the age of sixteen, leaving behind his family in Guangzhou. While he amassed a storybook of adventures, it was his lifelong best friend and mentor Art Chu who guided and steadied him. His family story began in 1963 with the marriage to Fay and he found himself in the warm embrace of his in-laws, having become close friends with Fay’s older brothers Moe and Yuen. He was a beloved uncle, never too busy for his many nieces and nephews who looked up to him.

Sam created a sense of family in his workplace, becoming the part-owner of Garden Gate Restaurant, infamously and affectionately known as “The Goof”, in the Beach, Toronto. So many will remember him from this time, with his starched white shirt and black bowtie. This was a bygone era of the classic 60s diner, with its booths, jukebox and french fries and gravy.

Some will remember Sam for his love of horse-racing, fishing, dim sum, jazz music and mostly for, Tai Chi. A lifelong learner, he practiced this until his very last day. Sam had many passions and was quietly passionate. To know this much, is to miss him greatly.