Mary Rita Choy, 92, of San Francisco, passed peacefully at The Abigail assisted living facility in Redwood City on a Tuesday afternoon, November 25, 2025, surrounded by loved ones.
Mary Rita "Tar" Tse was born May 19, 1933 in Canton, China. She emigrated several years later with her mother and older brother to join her father in the Philippines. She attended Catholic schools in Manila, learned English from the Belgian nuns, and converted to Catholicism.
As a young child, Tar barely escaped with her family (and the clothes on their backs) into the jungle when the Japanese invaded Baguio City in the Philippines. She was terrified that her baby brother would cry out and give them away. Because her father had often cured the local natives with acupuncture, at little or no charge, the indigenous people hid them and sustained them for several months until it was safe. She decided "camping" wasn't her thing and never roughed it again.
Tar graduated from Holy Family College in Baguio, and left for America to further her college education. She met Jack Choy at Old St. Mary's Cathedral & Chinese Mission's young adults social, they married, and had 3 children, Karen, Arthur, and Jackson.
Mary Rita was a stay-at-home Mom until all her children entered grade school. She enjoyed socializing with her Filipina mahjong pals every week. She worked as a checkout clerk at White Front until it closed down, then became a top saleswoman selling high-end men's clothing at Hastings in downtown San Francisco.
Widowed at 60 when her husband suddenly died from a heart attack, Mary Rita retired and kept active as a sports fan. She enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas to experience the thrill of sports betting, especially when she won. Heeding the advice of KNBR's Tony Bruno's "stone-cold lead-pipe lock" picks, she wagered (big) but sometimes lost. So she called in to the radio station to reprimand Tony for making her lose money. But they were so charmed by her, "... for the birds!" that they routinely played it as a promo tagline. Her nephew heard it one day, and realized, "Hey, that's Auntie Mary Rita!!!"
She didn't drink, but she could eat anyone under the table. Between wagers, Mary Rita looked forward to besting her son-in-law at the delicious Vegas buffets. She was an adventurous eater and tasted every dish, every cuisine, every dessert. The best ones, twice.
Mary Rita continued important Chinese customs, especially the Chinese New Year good luck rituals. Every year she would get the best whole boiled chickens - complete with head and feet, crispy roast pork chunks, dried fish, and Chinese "go" cupcakes to make sure her kids would have good health, good food, and good fortune for the coming year. And, of course, a very generous red envelope!
Another favorite pastime was the challenge of picking winning stocks. She embraced city life in San Francisco, confidently navigating public transportation, and maintained her independence for as long as possible, living her final years at The Abigail in Redwood City. Mary Rita faithfully attended weekly Mass at St Elizabeth's Church. She was charming, generous and feisty, and will be missed by many.
She is survived by her children, Karen (John), Arthur, and Jackson; sister-in-law, Rosalie; siblings, and many nieces and nephews.
Mary Rita is buried at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colma, section St Rose of Lima 12-102 next to her husband, Jack Choy.