Calexico mourns passing of Isabel Wong
CALEXICO — A large part of the Calexico and Valley community is mourning the unexpected death of longtime local resident Isabel “Chavela” Wong, who reportedly died of a heart attack on Friday while traveling in Mexico. She was 79 years old.
Wong was universally remembered by family and friends as a tireless advocate for the residents of Calexico, and in particular its senior citizens.
Many of her children’s earliest memories are of them accompanying their mother as she attended various public meetings, community events or selflessly provided assistance to vulnerable members of the community, said daughter Connie Wong Book.
“All my memories of her are of her volunteering somewhere,” Wong Book said. “Wherever we went she was helping people out.”
At the time of her death, Wong had been on a chartered bus tour of Mexico along with her eldest son, Fallan Wong. The bus trip was something that Wong had undertaken on an annual basis for some time, sometimes alone or with family, and which was always preceded by a physical exam with a physician, said daughter Christine Wong Ramirez.
“She passed away doing what she loved,” Wong Ramirez said.
News of Wong’s death spread quickly in the community, with many of the Valley’s prominent community members expressing shock and dismay on social media.
Yet, that disappointment was accompanied by numerous testimonials that attested to Wong’s longstanding advocacy and the lasting impressions she had made on friends and colleagues.
Those closest to her found it difficult to accurately list the total number of local institutions and organizations that Wong had either served as a board member with or as a volunteer during her life.
A Clinicas de Salud del Pueblo board member for about four decades, Wong had also been actively involved with the California Rural Legal Assistance, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Calexico Neighborhood House, the Farm Workers Appreciation Breakfast and Campesinos Unidos, to name a few.
“Even after her term was completed on the board, she continued to make it her core mission of caring for our communities and changing lives,” said CDSDP Chief Executive Officer Yvonne Bell in a written statement.
Wong was also a founding member of the Club de los Amigos, which has advocated and organized events here for senior citizens since the 1970s.
“There’s just so much that she did that I don’t even know about, and I was close to her,” said Erik Ortega, who served as club treasurer during Wong’s term as president. “She was involved in anything that would help Calexico and senior citizens.”
Recently, Wong’s daily routine typically consisted of attending Bingo games at the city’s Community Center in the morning, and then retiring to the Senior Hall located at center’s rear to enjoy lunch with her friends, the Imperial Irrigation District director said.
Ortega also said he had last seen Wong about two weeks ago when he had accompanied her to the inauguration of the wellness park at the Kennedy Gardens housing development.
During the unveiling of the wellness park, Wong had shared pictures of the housing development’s groundbreaking with many of those present, further underscoring her extensive familiarity and involvement with the city’s history and its progress.
“It is a sad day for Calexico,” Ortega said, referring to Wong’s sudden passing.
Local downtown business owner Morris Reisin said he also considered Wong a very close friend, and was deeply saddened by the news of her passing.
Reisin had served as vice president for 10 years during Wong’s 15-year term at the helm of the senior’s club, up until theirs’ and Ortega’s resignation a couple years back. Following their departure from the club’s board, it was still common for Reisin and Wong to speak on an almost daily basis, he said.
Wong had a distinct way of conducting affairs on behalf of those she championed, and was never one to back down from a challenge.
“She was tough,” he said. “She would give them hell.”
Wong was also something of a fixture within the downtown area, and could often be observed riding her bicycle – until it got stolen – and walking around to take care of errands, Reisin said.
“I can’t believe you see someone one day and the next day they are gone,” he said.
Wong’s children remember her most for the ideals and attitudes she embraced, but never forced upon anyone else, said Wong Book.
Above all else, her mother had instilled in them a profound faith in God, love for her adopted country, as well as a commitment to community service and volunteerism.
Throughout her and her siblings’ childhood, Wong Book said their household would play host to community members’ political rallies and campaign signs, as well as a temporary shel- ter for children whose own households lacked the nurturing and understanding that made Chavela and her husband a welcome respite.
Nor was it uncommon for Wong to be constantly fielding calls from members of the community in need of some sort of assistance, resulting in Wong replying that she would be right over, or invite the caller right over, or let the caller know who they needed to speak with to resolve an issue.
“My mom would get more phone calls than any of us did,” Wong Book said, noting that it was no small feat consid- ering the household contained five teenagers.
Wong’s lifelong dedication to the community has not gone unnoticed, and has prompted city officials to propose naming the city’s Senior Hall in her honor, said relative and Councilman Armando Real.
Wong, a native of Durango, Mexico, was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Ying Lun Wong. She is survived by her five children, Fallan Y. Wong, Cynthia I. Wong Rosas, Christine Wong Ramirez, Connie Wong Book, Michael L. Wong, five grandchildren and three son-in-laws.