Ah Ying Chen, | Restaurateur, 84

Ah Ying Chen, 84, of Northeast Philadelphia, who helped her husband operate the Great Wall Restaurant on Roosevelt Boulevard, died of heart failure June 21 at home.

Mrs. Chen and her husband, Eng Hack Chen, grew up in Fujian Province, China. He emigrated to the United States in 1942. Several years later, he returned to China and married Ah Ying.

He came back to the United States, hoping that she soon would join him, but her trip was postponed when the Communists took over the Chinese government in 1949. After her husband became a U.S. citizen, Mrs. Chen was able to come to the country in 1957 with their son, Kien Hean. They had four more children.

While caring for her family, Mrs. Chen prepared food for the restaurant in her home, her daughter, Margaret Wong said. As the children got older, she joined her husband at the restaurant; he greeted customers, Wong said, and she stayed in the kitchen.

After Eng Hack died in 1994, the family operated the Great Wall until 2001.

Mrs. Chen's specialties were rice wine and fish dumpling soup, her daughter said. She enjoyed growing Chinese vegetables, and was proud of her college-educated grandchildren and her U.S. citizenship.

In addition to her son and daughter, Mrs. Chen is survived by a daughter, Mary Pang; sons Bobby and Billy; 15 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday and from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at Choi Funeral Home, 247 N. 12th St., Philadelphia. A graveside service will be at noon Tuesday at Hillside Cemetery, 2666 Susquehanna Rd., Roslyn.