Daniel Clyde Fong

Oct 20, 1929 - Feb 1, 2022

Daniel (“Uncle Dan”) Fong passed away peacefully in San Francisco on February 1, 2022 at the start of the lunar new year. He was 92 years old. Born in Canton, China, Dan was sent to Hong Kong at the age of 7 by his mother to seek passage to the United States to join his relatives. He arrived at Angel Island at the age of 10 as Chin Dai Fong and, several months later in 1940, joined his uncle and aunt in Marysville, CA. He attended school there for almost 8 years until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1948 and served on the USS Kaskaskia (an oiler) as a boatswain’s mate that saw duty in Asia during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1952 and returned briefly to Marysville before moving to San Francisco. He applied for and was granted U.S. citizenship shortly thereafter due to his service in the Navy.

Dan began working for Safeway stores where he met Phyllis Wu Lum and her two children, Delissa and Desni (“Stuart”). He married Phyllis in 1966. Together, and with the help of her family in Hong Kong, Dan built and operated the Central Food Market in Pacifica, CA. The success of the supermarket allowed Dan, Phyllis and her family to begin acquiring San Francisco apartment buildings in Pacific Heights and other neighborhoods starting in the late 1960s. Dan sold the supermarket to employees in 1973. In mid-1974, Dan and Phyllis moved to Hong Kong where Dan worked for a family company as an executive overseeing residential apartment building projects. They returned to San Francisco in late 1975 to continue their main activity of investing in and managing apartment buildings. Over the next 40 years, Dan developed and invested in various real estate projects in Sacramento, Roseville, Atlanta and South Lake Tahoe.

In 1989, Dan’s beloved Phyllis passed away. In 1996, Dan married Melinda Chan ManLing, a close family friend, in Hong Kong. Together, they raised Melinda’s two girls (Jenny and Irene) and took cruises to many ports worldwide. He was a loving Grandfather to Catherine and Uncle to Clayton and was a generous host for many grand Chinese banquet meals for family at R and G Lounge, his favorite restaurant. Dan continued to play golf at the Lake Merced Golf Club, where he was a long-time member, until he turned 85 years old.

Dan is survived by his wife, his stepchildren, and grandchildren. He leaves many close family members in the U.S. and Hong Kong. A private remembrance will be held by close family members.