HR0971 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0971 LRB102 29323 LAW 41301 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Esther Wong of Chicago, who passed away on October 9, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Esther Wong was born in Hong Kong and came to the United States to study; she earned her master's degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago; she made Illinois her home; and

WHEREAS, Esther Wong served as the co-founder, a board member, and the board vice chair of the Chinese American Service League (CASL), the largest social service agency in the Midwest, which has been serving Asian Americans for the past 40 years, providing senior care and housing, vocational training and employment services, housing assistance, child care, youth programs, and other services; she served as executive director of CASL for 15 years from 2002 to 2017, and in honor of her retirement, CASL dedicated its grand hall as the Esther Wong Harmony Hall; and

WHEREAS, Esther Wong participated in numerous city, county, and state commissions and councils, representing the needs of immigrants; she served as a board member of the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), the Chinese Immigrant Service Agencies Network International (CISANI), the Asian American Coalition of Chicago (AACC), the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC), the Chicago Chinatown Security Foundation, the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly (CLESE), and the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD); and

WHEREAS, Esther Wong made a lifelong commitment to the betterment of the Chinese American and Asian American community; her service impacted thousands of families in Chicago and beyond; she quietly modeled exemplary leadership for both CASL staff and leaders in the Asian American community; and

WHEREAS, Esther Wong was a loving mother, a caring wife, a loyal friend, a dependable colleague, a respectful boss, an empathic listener, an inspiring teacher, a role model, a mentor, and a tireless servant to the Asian American community; and

WHEREAS, Esther Wong is survived by her husband, David Wong; her sons, Ernest (Minnie Fontenelle) Wong and Jovial (Janice Yoo) Wong; and her grandchildren, Vienne Wong and Ronin Wong; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Esther Wong and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Esther Wong as an expression of our deepest sympathy.