Wai Wai Thom of Medford passed away on Monday, October 26, 2020. She was the beloved wife of the late Wing Hon Thom and the devoted mother of 6: Henry Thom and his wife Glenda, Paul Thom, Fred Thom and his wife Evelyn, Bonnie Yee and her husband Albert, Jane Thom, and Andrew Thom and his wife Veronica. She was also the passionate and tireless grandmother of 12 and great-grandmother of 19.
Through her 97 years of life, she was a ceaseless learner and teacher. She worked at the Josiah Quincy School in Boston. She loved to cook, sew, create new dishes, knit, garden, read, babysit, teach, play and do arts and crafts with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She guided her family with a sense of humor. She was known as 'Ma' to her children's friends.
Wai was born and raised in Toisan, China, and graduated from Sun Yat-sen University with a degree in sociology. She taught school in Hong Kong before immigrating to the United States in 1959. She first settled in Boston’s Chinatown. After retiring from BPS, she moved to Medford 30 years ago to a house that would eventually overflow with family mementos.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Kids Library Fund in memory of Wai.
Please address donations to:
Heidi Boulogne, Librarian
Josiah Quincy Elementary School
885 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111
Please make the checks payable to Josiah Quincy Elementary School.
On Memo please write: Kids Library Fund in Memory of Wai Wai Thom