Suey-Sang Tom's Obituary
Suey-Sang was born in China on November 10, 1929.
He was the oldest of four, with two brothers and a sister. His story of immigration to the United States began when his father left China in order to pursue greater economic opportunities.
He immigrated to join his father in the United States in his early twenties and eventually found work at Rohr Inc., where he’d work for 38 years as a fabricator, mastering the use of various types of machinery to manufacture airplane parts. There, he worked hard and was frequently recognized for his innovation by his peers and supervisors. He was also praised for his perfect attendance and his dedication to helping his workmates.
He married Colleen on June 10, 1961 and settled in their home in San Diego with their children, Kiana and Warren.
He also helped to open a family-run grocery store along with his father and brothers called Arizona Market located in North Park. He’d split his time between working at Rohr, working at Arizona Market in the evenings and weekends, as well as caring for his family.
Suey-Sang enjoyed working with his hands. His hobbies included woodworking and building things around the house and backyard. He also enjoyed listening to Chinese music and reading Chinese newspapers, as well as traveling on cruises and tour buses. He had a large appetite and loved eating at buffets, and enjoyed growing vegetables and gardening.
He was a loving and devoted father and grandfather with a generous and friendly spirit. A gifted conversationalist; he’d often strike up conversations with strangers that he had just met.
On March 4, 2021, Suey-Sang departed this life to join Colleen and be with the Lord. He leaves behind his daughter and son-in-law Kiana and Jerome, son and daughter-in-law Warren and Josie, and grandchildren: Victoria, Christopher, and Anthony. He also leaves behind his sister Yim Min, nieces and nephews, and many friends and relatives.
He will always be in our memories and in our hearts forever.
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