John Wah Chin
In Loving Memory
John Wah Chin
December 22, 1938 – December 1, 2020
John Wah Chin was born in Guangzhou, China in 1938 and died on December 1, 2020 in Portland, Oregon.
John grew up with two older sisters in a small village until the age of 15, when he moved to the United States to be with his parents and his 6 younger siblings. In America, John learned English at a high school in Worcester, Massachusetts. After brief military service, he worked in restaurants in the Boston area before eventually settling in Pinardville, New Hampshire to run his own restaurant.
As a business owner in a small town, John was very dedicated to the success of the restaurant. When something needed fixing, he would figure out how to do it himself. Before long, the Wa Toy Restaurant became a thriving business that he operated for over 40 years. John was well regarded as a bartender, serving the best Mai Tais in town. His other signature drink was called the Scorpion Bowl (for obvious reasons), which the local college students absolutely loved.
John liked to vacation with his family to places like Disney World, Niagara Falls, Toronto, or Maine. He especially loved eating out in Boston Chinatown, where he would often meet up with his parents and siblings. John also enjoyed deep sea fishing, picking snails at the beach, trips to the casino, and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.
While living in Portland, Oregon, John enjoyed being able to spend time with his granddaughter Elsie, watching her play soccer, playing poker, and going out for dim sum on the weekends.
John’s personality allowed him to banter with anyone. He enjoyed talking with customers just as much as with relatives and old friends, and eventually nursing home staff. He had a smile for everyone, and he was constantly looking to make a joke about anything, including himself. So it is especially tragic that he died alone, having tested positive for COVID-19 on November 25th. The pandemic had prevented family contact for months except for window visits.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Prevent Child Abuse America preventchildabuse.org.
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Steve Monier posted on 12/22/20
John Chin was a fixture in the Goffstown community for many, many years. Always a smile and a kind word for his friends & customers. He looked after people, and was proud of his business and those who worked for him. He appreciated hard work, and understood the values of dedication, commitment, family & community. My family had many enjoyable nights out at the Wa-Toy over the years. We are all better off for having known John. Rest in peace, my friend.