Tomás Chen, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on Friday, April 12, 2024. He was 92 years old and lived an inspiring life personifying entrepreneurship and family dedication. Tommy was born on June 24, 1931 in Colón, Panama to Roberto Chen and Ana Wong deChen. He moved to the United States in 1962 (New York) and became a naturalized citizen in 1968. In 1979, Tommy relocated with his family to sunny Coral Springs, Florida and ultimately retired in Ocala, Florida in 2005.
Tommy was always adventurous and hard working in his many successful businesses throughout his life. During his younger days in Panama, Tommy owned and ran a trucking company that transported construction materials for the Panama Canal. When he relocated to the United States, Tommy started, owned and ran many successful business, including a luncheonette and many laundromats. Tommy brought his energy and vision to each of these projects to make them thrive, from inception to customer service to rolling up his sleeves and making the machines work when no one else had a clue. In all aspects, Tommy was determined and dedicated to turning his dreams into reality.
After Tommy’s move to the United States, he met the love of his life, Kinga (Chin). The two had a whirlwind romance and married in October 1964. They started their married life together in Elmhurst, New York and had two children, Elizabeth and Richard. Tommy and Kinga dedicated their lives to loving and raising their family with much laughter and joy. Tommy was devoted to family and friends and would do anything to help; he would be the person to call if you had a broken water pipe in the middle of the night. And when Tommy’s only grandson (Benjamin) arrived, Tommy enveloped the newest love of his life with love and generosity.
Tommy is preceded in death by his parents, his three siblings (Margarita (Chen) Lee, Domingo Chen, and Eugene Chen), and his dear wife (Kinga Chen). He is survived by his son, Richard Chen, his daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Mark Dodson, and his grandson, Benjamin Dodson. Tommy is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Helen Chin and Judy Lui, and by many nieces and nephews (Christine, Stuart, Stephen, Jonathan, Jeffrey, Lucia, Victor, Margarita, Domingo, and Margaret) and their families.
Tomás – Tommy – Chen was loved by all and will be dearly missed. His 92 years and 10 months on earth was not nearly enough. His energy and hard work, grit and determination, intelligence and kindness will never be forgotten. While his departure has left a hole in our hearts, we know that he has joined his love in Heaven. (From Elizabeth and Richard: We love you, Mommy and Daddy!)
A service will be held for Tommy on Thursday, April 18, 2024 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Roberts Funeral Home (West Chapel, 6241 SW St Road 200, Ocala) with the interment to follow at Good Shepherd Memorial Gardens, Ocala.