Kathleen Pong Sugarman
Remembrances of William Pong
Many of you may not know this, but Uncle William was nicknamed “LoFanHow” by his siblings. This word is literally translated “white man head.” To understand this nickname, one must know William’s background. Though he was born in America, he and his siblings were taken back to Hong Kong by his parents when he was only two years old. However, in 1935, when he was seven years old, his father took him back to the U.S. with his two older brothers, George and Henry so his father could open a Chinese restaurant in Cincinnati. George and Henry were fluent in speaking both English and Chinese, but William spoke little, if any, Chinese.
Since William was too young to work in the restaurant, he became involved in a nearby local Catholic church. At home, he was often quiet and studious in his bedroom. He was likely encouraged by his father and the Catholic church to continue his studies and pursue higher education. It is not known if Lip Bow Pong or the Catholic church contributed financially to his education, but I know the family respected his studious nature and diligence in his studies. Because William did not speak Chinese and was constantly studying and pursuing an education as many Americans do, he was given the above stated nickname.
I recall William lived at 1116 Elm Street in Cincinnati with his father and Henry. When large family dinners were held to celebrate birthdays and holidays, he rarely joined as he was unable to converse with family members who preferred to speak Chinese. When he did interact with family, he spoke to his brothers, Henry and George in English. Personally, I never heard him speak any Chinese.
Oftentimes, William liked to cook his own meals and then retreat to his room to study as he was pursuing his doctorate in Physics at the University of Cincinnati. If he didn’t want to cook, he took a bus or walked to the Terrace Hilton Cafeteria to eat his lunch or dinner. Years later when I attended the University of Cincinnati, I met three German professors who taught William, Dr. Frankie, Dr. Leudeke and Dr. Stubbins. They remembered William as their student!
When I was nine years old, I remember my grandfather held a meeting with Henry, William and Jobic in a back room. Within a few weeks of this important meeting, William moved to Hawaii, Jobic relocated to New York while Henry remained in Cincinnati.