Our Founders

Bruce Wong, 1931-2013

​Bruce graduated from Washington High School in 1949. He received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy from Oregon State  Univ. in 1958, after serving four years in the U.S. Air Force.

Bruce led an active community oriented life. He was a founding member of the Portland Chinese Scholarship Foundation in 1963. He also served as president of the North Powell Little League, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, Oregon Chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society of Metals, Portland Chinese Classical Garden Society, Old Town Chinatown History Committee and the Chinese Scientists Engineers and Professional Association.

His career started as metallurgist at Metallurgical Engineers Inc. and continued through Tektronix, Omark Industries, Electronic Specialties, Tablott Wong and Associates and concluded with his own Wong’s Forensic and Metallurgical Engineers Inc. (1981 to 2000).

Harlan Luck, 1928-2016

Harlan grew up in downtown/Chinatown Portland, graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School and then attended the University of Oregon receiving his degree in Architecture. Harlan served two years in the Army during the Korean War.

Harlan was a self-employed Consulting Structural Engineer in Portland.  In 1966, he designed and built his home in SW Portland which was known for the fire pole and modern design.

With a dedicated interest in his children’s youth sports teams, Harlan coached a number of sports: football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and softball. He was particularly involved in coaching soccer in Lake Oswego with youth teams from Riverdale.

Harlan served his community by being involved on the Water Board, School Board and Parent Clubs, and Portland Chinatown History Foundation.

Robert Luck, 1926-

Bob grew up in Portland Chinatown where he attended Atkinson and Couch elementary schools, then graduated from Lincoln High in 1944. He earned his B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Oregon State Univ. in 1948. He completed his M.S. course work in Automatic Control Systems Engineering at UCLA in 1960. He retired from his 50-year electrical engineering career in 1998. His career involved electrical systems design engineering for aircraft and aerospace applications, as well as for commercial, residential, medical, industrial, facilities. He participated in two scientific space satellite launches at Cape Canaveral — the Explorer VI (earth orbiting) and the Pioneer V (deep space probe) in 1959.

Bob’s  military service during Korean war was with the Oregon Air National Guard 142nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron in the US Air Force, from May 1951 to August 1952. He was a Staff Sergeant radar mechanic at two Distant Early Warning Radar sites that were located in Alaska’s northern Arctic territory.

Other life interests have included participation in community theaters in Philadelphia and Denver with activities in board administration, acting, sound, lighting, set construction, and directing.  Also, Bob was an Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener from 2001 to 2012 and currently continues his practice of the Yang-style tai chi form, from 1988.

Lawrence Chan Jr., 1931-

Larry Chan was born on Oct. 16, 1931 in Portland, Oregon, growing up and working around Chinatown on NW 4th Ave. He graduated from Washington High School in 1949, and attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, receiving his B.S. degree in 1953 and his OD degree in optometry in 1954.

He had his own practice for 55 years on SE 122nd at Division and was married to Shirley for 54 years, who passed away in 2016. He has two children: a son Craig and a daughter Lisa.

Retiring in 2016, Larry now enjoys golfing, traveling and cruising.

Gary Lee, 1929-2023

Gary Lee was born in Oct. 1929 to Fong B. and Marie Lee. As the second oldest of six children, Gary grew up in Chinatown on 4th between Davis and Everett. Attending Atkinson, Chapman, Couch, Hosford grade school and Chinese school, he lived in Chinatown until age 8 and then moved to the eastside of Portland.

Gary’s  father had a printing press business, and he has fond memories of growing up in Chinatown and good times with Gong Fu classes and going to the movie matinees with his friends. He remembers watching the lion dance classes around the corner from where he lived and when older, participating as one of the drummers with the lion dance team. Gary helped deliver the keno tickets to several Chinese families who ran lotteries behind store fronts and enjoyed going to the gambling places because he was always given soft drinks and candy for delivering the lottery tickets.

Graduating from Benson High School in 1948, as a teenager Gary had summer jobs at Crater Lake working in the kitchen and other odd jobs in restaurants. There were also good times traveling with his friends to Seattle and Vancouver B.C.

In 1951 he served in the Army during the Korean War for about two years. After the war, Gary married Lily and they have two children. He worked at the Post Office for 37 years, with his last position being the data system management officer. He retired in 1990 and enjoys his family with six grandchildren, watching basketball games, casinos, gambling and going for walks.

As a member of the Chinese community with an outgoing personality, Gary hoped that the Chinese Old Timers of Portland luncheon would continue the friendships with others to get together and have a good time.

Evelyn Ching (Low), 1932–2022

Evelyn lived in downtown Portland at 110 SW 3rd Avenue, where Voodoo Donuts is now located, until she was seven years old. The family then moved to Ladd’s Addition. She attended Abernathy Grade School and Washington High School. At 10 years old she began working in her father’s grocery store at N. Williams Avenue and N. Russell.

In 1954 Evelyn graduated from Lewis and Clark College with a Medical Technologist degree and worked in her field first with several internists, and later at OHSU. After retirement she worked for many years as an extra in the movie industry.