Chock Tong 'C.T.' Wong, banker and civic leader
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
Chock Tong "C.T." Wong, a community leader and former president of Liberty Bank, died Nov. 11. He was 96.
Wong was born on May 8, 1908, in Canton, China. His family moved to Hawai'i when Wong was a child and he graduated from Iolani School.
Wong
Wong's father was one of the founders of Liberty Bank, but Wong received no favors and went to work at the bank as an office boy in 1928. He worked his way up from assistant cashier to executive vice president in 1950 and in 1966 was named president and chief executive officer.
Although running the bank kept him busy, Wong was active in the community and had the reputation of being generous. In 1962, he co-chaired a fund drive to help refugees who escaped from China to Hong Kong.
Wong helped raise money for a new dormitory at the Palolo Chinese Home and was instrumental in securing a loan from the Taiwan government to prevent the Chinese Cultural Plaza from going into bankruptcy. He served as president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and United Chinese Society, and was a director at Nu'uanu Memorial Park, Manoa Chinese Cemetery, and Mun Lun Chinese Language School.
He was a charter member of the West Honolulu Rotary Club and the American Chinese Club. In 1964, Wong was named Man of the Year by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Wong is survived by his wife, Margaret; son, Lorrie; daughters, Verna Lee, Sandra Chun and Wendy Chun; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 27 at Nu'uanu Memorial Park Mortuary; burial 2 p.m. at Manoa Chinese Cemetery.
Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.
