Betty Leong
- Sep 4, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 6, 2025
1951 - 2025
OBITUARY
Betty Leong
February 22, 1951 – September 1, 2025
Betty Leong was born and raised in Manhattan’s Chinatown and educated in NYC public schools, including Washington Irving HS. A common misconception about Betty is that she was foreign born because of the way she spoke. Most people don’t think of Chinatown as a ghetto but it is; with its own subculture and way of speaking.
Betty attended Queens College, receiving both Bachelors and Masters degrees there. That is also where she met her husband John over 55 years ago. They lived in Flushing for many years before settling into their home in New Hyde Park with their daughter April. For 30 years, Betty was a teacher of mathematics at Forest Hills HS in Queens.
In her younger days, Betty earned her 2nd degree black belt in karate, and had great adventures as she and her husband and friends biked long distances across the Island.
After retiring, Betty became a leader in the community. She was involved and participated in many organizations including Chinese Center of Long Island, Joy Fu, Lakeville Estates Civic Association, American Legion, AARP and so many more. She led and supported numerous programs at various organizations to ensure their success.
Betty had a talent for connecting people and believed in enjoying life to its fullest. She will be remembered for starting pickleball in the New Hyde Park community and advocating for pickleball courts at Tully Park. She was passionate about dragon boat racing and enjoyed paddling with the NY Wall Street Dragons. She enjoyed playing tennis and mahjong, doing tai chi and took every opportunity to travel.
Above all, Betty’s greatest joy was spending time with family. She loved taking trips and doing fun things with her daughter April and April’s friends, watching movies and TV with her husband John, and sharing holiday meals with her brother Gene and his family, as well as with her brother-in-law Marty and his partner Betty. Most memorable was a trip to China with her Uncle Joe and several cousins, where they stopped in Toishan Village, the birthplace of her parents.
Betty was a wonderful person who touched the lives of all who knew her. She will be missed. Rest in peace.
VISITATION
Saturday, September 13
12:00 - 3:00 PM
New Hyde Park Funeral Home
506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY
CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE
Saturday, September 13
3:00 - 4:30 PM
New Hyde Park Funeral Home
506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY
Private Cremation
All Souls Crematory
72-02 Astoria Boulevard, East Elmhurst, NY
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS:
Donations May Be Made In Betty's Name to
American Cancer Society
Spence-Chapin (The non-profit adoption agency that made it possible to adopt daughter, April, from China, as a baby, 30 years ago)
On behalf of the entire Queens College Community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire family.
May she Rest in Peace,
Betty,
Thank you for your contributions and passion that you demonstrated as a volunteer for the North Hempstead AARP Team! Your dedication of activism and purpose was evident way before I had the pleasure of meeting you. Thank you for the stories and laughs that we shared during one of our "We Can Walk Together" events. May your legacy continue in the spirit of volunteerism.
Dear Betty: A great person is not measured by the amount of accolades one received but by the happiness that is bestowed to other people because of one's actions. According to this measure,you are a great person that benefit many people and bought happpiness to their lives. We salute you and we wish that there are a lot more people that follow your footsteps. We will miss you! Thank you for all your services to the community.
My deepest condolences to Betty's family. She will be missed by so many whose life she touched. Always volunteering and giving of herself to others for the benefit of us all. We were blessed to have known her. She left us much too soon. Rest in peace my friend, in a place of brightness where there is no sorrow, stress, pain, or illness. Rest in a place for eternity - where all the righteous reside. Irene Kassimis
Betty was a wonderful friend to everyone she met. She was so generous with her time, and she always seemed to have time for everyone. I am better for her friendship, and I will miss her terribly.
Much love to John and April.
Nina Kohn