Obituary

Joe, Kim Yon, Mrs. (Cornelia Wong (Momma Joe))

Cornelia Wong Joe, or Momma Joe, was born on September 16, 1924 in El Paso, TX. On July 11, 2018 at around 9pm she finally stopped fussing over whether or not we had enough to eat and passed away quietly in her home.

Cornelia lived in El Paso until she was 4 years old when her father passed away. She moved back to China shortly after the death of her father and spent her early years in the rural Guangzhou province of China. When she was 16 years old she was introduced to an enterprising young man from a neighboring village who just so happened to reside in West Texas. Kim Yon Joe was a restaurant owner from Amarillo, TX. The two young people, one born in West Texas, the other finding his way there through divine providence, married in October 1940 and started a life together that would spread joy and comforting meals throughout West Texas for many generations.

Momma Joe leaves five children, three grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Her eldest son Tom lives in Plainview with his wife Connie. They have two children, Freddy and Kim. Fred lives in Portland, OR with his wife Su Yim and their absurdly gorgeous daughter, Madelyn ?Ankle Breaker? Joe and some little mutt. Their single-by-choice daughter, Kim, wrangles dogs and looks for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Son number two, Lee resides in Frisco, TX with his wife Eugenie. Their son, Dr. Brian Lee Joe, also lives in Frisco with his wife Heidi and they have three girls Elayne, Ilyena, and Kaitlyn.

Sue Elaine and Jonnie, children three and four, lived with Cornelia in Plainview where they have been caring for each other and cultivating the heart of the Joe Family and giving the Joe Clan a place to call home.

The last child to arrive, Larry, lives in North Oak Cliff in Dallas with his partner Steve Springfield in a delightful mid-century gem filled with great art.

Aside from being the definition of ?good mother?, Momma Joe worked in the family restaurant, the Far East, for many decades. She greeted all patrons with a warm smile and genuine affection. She loved to visit for hours with the wonderful customers who became friends over the decades and cherished every moment with customers and travelers who veered off the highway in search of a good hot meal.

Throughout her life she faithfully maintained communications with her sister, Rose Jue, and her extended family who lived in Arizona. They exchanged letters, phone calls and Chinese soap operas on VHS. She cherished family above all else.

Cornelia doted on her children and their offspring and was an unwavering example of love. She worked constantly to ensure that her family was happy, secure and full of food. Most notably, she was a tireless caretaker for her daughter Suzi. Cornelia devoted her life to ensuring her daughter was well cared for and loved.

She had a keen eye for art and was able to see the beauty in all things. She was an avid gardener and produced stunning flowers and culinary-questionable (but very healthy) Chinese vegetables in her bountiful backyard with her son, John. Her daughter-in-law, Connie, often arranged her grand flowers into spectacular displays that graced the entry at the Far East Restaurant. Her Chinese veggies were used in traditional Cantonese dishes she fed to her family to infuse them with the traditions of China. She passed on her love of beauty, art and real Chinese food to her children and their progeny.

She was a masterful quilter and did wonders with knitting and crochet needles. Her quilts, blankets and sweaters were loved and appreciated by the lucky people who received them as well as the people who saw them on exhibit in Plainview and Lubbock. She was an enthusiastic member of the quilting club in Plainview until she retired her needle. Her craftsmanship gave comfort to those she loved and wrapped them in her embrace when they were far from home.

Cornelia was an active member of the Searchers Sunday school class at the First Baptist Church.

Mrs. Cornelia Wong Joe was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Kim Yon Joe and her sister Rose Jue.

Visitation with the family will be from 4:00 ? 6:00 pm on Sunday, July 15 at Kornerstone Funeral Directors in Plainview. A private burial is scheduled at a later date in Plainview. The family suggests that memorials to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation