Stanley Lum

Stanley Lum (Wong Fook Hing) passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 in his home in Salinas, California. He was one of the last of men and women of the Greatest Generation. He was 98 years old and had also resided in the towns of Hollister and Soledad.

Stanley was a well-known grocer of Save-Mor Market in the city of Hollister. It served the town for over 20 years. The store was located under the town clock at the corner of San Benito and Fourth Streets. In the early '50s, Stanley and his older brother, Louis Lum, started as butchers there and eventually purchased the business. Later they were joined by brother-in-law, Norman Gong. Long ago upon entering the store, regular customers fondly greeted Stanley calling "El Chinito" little Chinese Man because they couldn't pronounce the name Stanley. Other local customers often called him Stanley. Early on, Stanley would take a small paper bag and stuff it with penny candies free to give to the larger families with many children. The families and the kids worked at the grocery store together side-by-side.

Later, in 1977, Stanley and his wife Jean established Valley Foods, serving the town of Soledad and neighboring areas for more than 30 years. He was one of the few independent grocers that served the many small rural towns of California after the war. He was a skilled butcher who taught his sons and others to cut meat. As a grocer, he understood his local clients well enough to meet their needs as well as stocked specialty items to feed growing Mexican and Latino communities. He got to know the families and his regular customers by name welcoming back the same migrant families every year. He trained many workers over the years and taught his children good customer service and the value of hard work. Stanley achieved his "American Dream" expanding his businesses to include both residential and commercial properties.

Stanley was born December 18, 1924 in San Francisco, California. At age 4, he was taken by his father back to China to be raised. At age 14 he returned to California speaking only Cantonese and learned English to survive in the United States.

He was drafted into the Army for WWII to the 290th Regiment, 75th Infantry Division, Stanley served as a Private First Class. He was a surgical technician (medic). He participated in the Ardenne and Rhineland campaigns and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. He gave first aid to the injured on the battle field. A few weeks later, he himself was wounded and hospitalized. The bullet was never removed and left to avoid further damage. Like many war veterans, Stanley never talked about the war. His family respected that.

He was awarded the European-African-Middle-Eastern Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star.

In 2021, in a ceremony in Oakland, Stanley and his older brother Louis was awarded Congressional Gold Medals. They were recognized for their service as Chinese-American veterans along side many other surviving Chinese-American WWII veterans and their families. For health reasons, Stanley was not able to attend. His brother Louis received the award posthumously.

In 1947 after the war, Stanley married Jean Tai Lew in China in an arranged marriage. They resided in Visalia, California first where Stanley worked as a butcher. The three older children were born in Visalia. They later moved to Hollister in the early 50s where the younger two children were born here. They raised five children, Anne, Donald (Frances Don), Helen (Eugene Joe), Alice (Christopher Peterson), and Robert (Karen Leu).

Stanley and Jean were married for 66 years.

Stanley was a quiet and humble man. He seldom took vacations and was almost always working. His wife Jean was his perfect partner. He was proud of his wife who worked along his side daily. He was proud to have educated his children, watched his family grow to 6 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren with two more on the way. Stanley was preceded in death by his son Donald in 1995 and his wife Jean in 2014.

In retirement, he enjoyed family gatherings, barbecues and playing Mah Jong with the children. In retirement, they joined the Chinese Senior Club and Jung Wah in Salinas. They enjoyed their social gatherings for dinners, cruises, casino trips, and Chinese cultural events.

Stanley and Jean were members of the Far Yuen Benevolent Association in San Francisco.

Stanley was generous. As a grocer he support local organizations and sports events in the towns of Hollister and Soledad. He sponsored and supported many relatives and families from China to come to the United States.

He was given a Military Honor at the gravesite.

Services were held Monday, August 7th, at 10:30 AM at Alta Vista Mortuary, 41 East Alisal Street, Salinas, CA 93901. Donations in Stanley's name can be made to the VNA & Hospice of Monterey County. Donations can also be made through Alta Vista website to plant trees and to send condolences and cards of sympathy to the family.

Arrangements by Alta Vista Mortuary, 41 East Alisal Street; (831)424-9700

Online condolences: www.altavistamortuary.com

Published in Salinas Valley Tribune and Hollister Free Lance · July 31, 2023