For most of his youth, Tommy Chan lived at the Chung Mei Boys Home in San Francisco. Dr. Charles Shephard, a Baptist minister, started the home for boys of Chinese heritage. Some were orphans, some abandoned; others were there because their parents could no longer care for them.
Tommy was born in April 1920 in Fresno, the youngest of eight kids. His family moved to San Francisco when he was seven years old. When he was nine years old, he moved into the Boys Home and left when he was 18.
When his merchant father passed, the family went back to China. After two years, they returned to San Francisco. Tommy enrolled at Galileo High School and loved taking woodwork classes. As an adult, he loved doing carpentry projects. He left school before graduation to help two of his brothers run a butcher shop in Sacramento. He subsequently earned his GED.
One day, he met Sandra Fong at the Pagoda Café. Sandra had come to the U.S. as a young child. Her parents owned a poultry business, Sheu Fong Company, at 422 I Street. She was already engaged to a sailor, so Tommy didn’t pursue her.
Tommy went into the U.S. Army after WWII started. He completed basic training in Texas and was assigned to the 39th Combat Engineer Battalion. He worked with land mines and anti-tank retreats. He traveled to the Mediterranean with his unit. In recognition of his service, Tommy was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2021.
Tommy returned to Sacramento after the war ended. He heard that Sandra was no longer engaged but learned she had another suitor. Undeterred, he pursued and eventually won her affection. They married in 1949, officiated by his mentor, Dr. Shephard. Tommy and Sandra had three daughters, Carolyn, Gale, and Donna. Settling in Greenhaven, Tommy worked in local grocery stores.
For over 30 years, Tommy and Sandra volunteered for ACC. He and Sandra were part of the first set of volunteers running bingo games. Tommy photographed all the fundraising activities, including all of the crab feeds and special events. His photographs are invaluable in documenting the history of ACC. The couple also volunteered for other community organizations like My Sister’s House.
Tommy feels he’s fortunate to be living so long. He’s grateful to be surrounded by his family and attentive caregivers. During our visit, he told me his favorite food is chocolate. He was all smiles when his lunch was served – it included a large slice of chocolate cake.
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