John Wo

**John Lin Choon Wo**

_Beloved Father, Entrepreneur, Coach_

**1948 – 2025**

John Lin Choon Wo passed away peacefully in Turlock, CA on May 24, 2025 at the age of 76. A pillar of strength, curiosity, and quiet resilience, John embodied the classic story of the self-made immigrant. Born in Burma in 1948, he came to the United States with little more than determination and a fierce desire to build a better life for his family.

John taught himself English, worked tirelessly, and eventually opened his own auto repair shop—laying the foundation for a successful life and instilling in his children the values of discipline, integrity, and perseverance. He was tough-as-nails but endlessly curious, entrepreneurial at heart, and remarkably indifferent to what others thought of him—focusing instead on hard work, ideas, and purpose.

His children will remember a father who challenged them with love. He didn’t care what they were naturally good at; he cared that they chose something and tried to be the best at it. As children, that turned out to be badminton—a sport John once excelled at himself in Burma. That passion became a vessel for lifelong lessons as their badminton coach: training during holidays, running in the rain, and cross-country trips to tournaments. John even supported his children taking a year off school to train overseas, knowing that exposure to the world was one of the greatest gifts he could give.

He rarely raised his voice and never made his children feel ashamed for failure. If one of them had said they wanted to be a rapper, he would have nodded and said, “Then be the best rapper—and I’ll help you get there.”

Even into his seventies, John remained full of business ideas, often sharing them with the same enthusiasm and ambition he had in his youth. He was endlessly driven, goal-oriented, and optimistic about the future. Though affection was rarely expressed in words—true to the norms of his upbringing—his love was deeply felt in all that he did. His children and grandchildren now carry that love forward, not necessarily through shared names, but through shared values. In them, John’s legacy endures.

John is survived by his loving wife May; his children Steven, Stanley, Stella, Stephanie, Jonathan and Jenevieve; his daughter/son in-laws Neda, Jeff and Barni; his grandchildren Katelyn, Mina, Nathan, Amanda, Aden and Jaselyn; and his sisters Christina, Monica and Candy, by the countless lessons, stories, and quiet strengthes he passed down.

A service will be held at Duggans Mortuary on Friday, June 6, 2025 at 10:00am followed by a burial service at the Chinese Christian Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor John by helping someone pursue their dream—with belief, support, and an open mind, just as he always did.