We are saddened by the passing of William Fong this week. He touched the lives of many in our church and our community. Please feel free to express your condolences to the family including his wife Ruby and his children Curtis, Mira, Doug, James, Barron, Randy, Joe, and Ted. Also feel free to share your favorite memories of William.

The Circle of Life with William Y. Fong, M.D.

by Gordon A. Wong, M.D.
March 12, 2010

When I started my medical practice, I sought advice from William, the doctor who was at the top of his game. William was the founder of the elite medical subspecialty group that dominated Sacramento’s healthcare. They were the best in nephrology, cardiology, gastroenterology, pulmonary, and internal medicine. This was a one stop shop. It didn’t matter what your medical needs were; they provided it. But the advance of medicine and medical technology brought change. It became difficult for all doctors to be expert with the advances in medicine. Subspecialists were needed and they were able to provide patients with a higher level of care. William’s group led the way in developing subspecialty practices. Today, these groups have set the standard for medical care in Sacramento. I was fortunate to have had William’s advice and joined a medical group specializing in pulmonary, to which I added infectious diseases.
Although I didn’t share any patients with William, we saw each other frequently in the hospital while making rounds. He was always cheerful and smiling and was admired and respected by all. His medical skills were excellent, and his patients all loved him. As William gradually changed his practice time to becoming a strong advocate for the effective delivery of healthcare, practicing physicians became the beneficiary.

I had the honor of taking care of William during his last hospitalization. This giant of medicine was finally slowing down, and it made me sad. However, I was privileged to be there with him to reminisce about old times and about his advice when I started out in private practice. It was my privilege to be at his bedside to help him with his dinner. What an appetite! He relished every bite of his meal, and this was hospital food! He didn’t need to thank me, but he did. That was William – thoughtful, gracious, and kind. It’s no wonder that he had so many friends.

Today we need to remember this good man for his outstanding accomplishments and devotion to medicine. William set the bar for excellence in life, and it is our responsibility to carry it on.

Thank you, William, my dear friend and colleague. We will miss you but will never forget the impact you had on our lives.

MEMORIES OF WILLIAM Y. FONG, M.D.

by Merrily F. Wong
March 12, 2010

Dr. William Fong was a pioneer in the medical community. He was elected President of the Sacramento County Medical Society in 1974 becoming the first Asian to hold that office since the Society’s founding in 1868. He made his mark on professional organizations too numerous to list and was widely regarded as a giant among his colleagues. In fact, in 1987, the Medical Society granted him the Golden Stethoscope Award, the highest honor bestowed upon its most esteemed physicians.

Not content to just be successful himself, William sought to encourage others. He was a marvelous mentor and was delighted when I became president of the county medical auxiliary in 1985. Because he was involved with the California Medical Association Board, he was especially pleased when I became active with the CMA Auxiliary. In those days, few if any Asian women were involved at the state level, and William cheered me onto various positions on that board and others.
But it was I who was so very proud of him. I loved watching him “work the room” at conventions. He knew everybody and had a kind word for all. The casual observer might have called it “politicking,” but he was just a modest guy chatting with his pals. William was a much-admired leader and generous mentor, but, most of all, he was a humble servant and good friend. I will miss him.

Yesterday we had a beautiful service for my dad. It was attended by family and friends from just about every stage in his life. It was remarkable to hear the stories about him.

While many people thanked our family for Dad being their doctor and for his many contributions to the community, they were the very people who gave him purpose in life. In this regard, Dad considered himself very fortunate to have lived and worked this long doing what he enjoyed doing.

On behalf of the William Fong family, thank you for your prayers and support.

Read the remembrances (PDF, 7 MB)

Download audio of the service held on 3/13/10 (MP3, 100 MB)

 

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
-- Psalm 127:3

With eight children, William was richly blessed. And with 20 grandchildren, he was blessed many times over. Having attended his memorial service, his reward was quite evident.

The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.
-- Proverbs 20:7

William led a good life and his children are certainly blessed, as are we who knew him.

You will be missed, Dr. Fong, but we enjoy and continue to be blessed by the lives of your children and grandchildren.