SAUGUS — Madeline Wong, the matriarch of the iconic Kowloon restaurant on Route 1, who helped spearhead the transformation of the restaurant into a north-of-Boston landmark, died, her family announced. She was 95.
Wong co-founded and co-owned Kowloon with her husband William, and the couple took over the restaurant, then called “Mandarin House,” from her parents in 1950, later changing the name to Kowloon eight years later. She worked long days to help grow the restaurant, all while maintaining a career as a life insurance agent for John Hancock.
“Throughout her 95 years, she lived life to its fullest and was an incredible and amazing person. Full of life and full of energy,” the Wong family wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday evening. “She worked endless hours to grow the business from the ground up – and still found time to be an award-winning and top selling life insurance agent for John Hancock. All while raising her six children in her spare time.”
Madeline Wong leaves behind six children — Bob, Linda, Donald, Stanley, Lisa and Andy. William Wong died at 88 in 2011.
The Facebook post announcing Wong’s passing garnered more than 700 comments, with users expressing their condolences and fondly recalling the trips they took to Kowloon.
Despite her immense success with Kowloon, Wong’s family said her “greatest accomplishment was showing her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren what love and caring was,” the Facebook post reads.
“For that we are forever grateful. With all our love – we will miss her.”
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
