A prominent member of Vancouver's Chinatown community has passed away.

Bill Wong, one of Chinatown's last tailors, died in his sleep at the age of 95 on April 8.

Wong worked over 60 years at Modernize Tailors located at 5 West Pender Street, near the Chinatown Millennium Gate. The store celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2013, prompting the City of Vancouver to declare November 2, 2013 as "Modernize Tailors Day".

The business was opened by Wong Kung Lai in 1913, which was later taken over by his sons Jack (who died in 2013) and Bill. The shop served everyone from local citizens, politicians such as former mayor Sam Sullivan, and even celebrities such as Sean Connery, Gordon Lightfoot, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Fashion writer JJ Lee worked with Wong as an apprentice to learn the art of made-to-measure suits, which he wrote about in his book The Measure of a Man.

In the memoir-cookbook Wong Family Feast, Joanna Claire Wong wrote about Wong Kung Lai's journey from China to becoming a master tailor while sharing some of the family's favourite recipes.

In 2016, the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of B.C. honoured Modernize Tailors and the Wong family for their contributions to Chinese Canadian history. Modernize Tailors is the oldest existing family-owned business in Chinatown.

In a tribute to Wong, the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver called Wong "a pillar of the Chinatown Community". The Wong family also established the Chinatown Project Memorial Fund.

A celebration of life for Bill Wong is yet to be announced.