Kung Kwan was born in Kaiping, China, on August 22, 1952. Due to harsh economic conditions, he never received a formal education and began working at a young age. At 16, he made his way to Hong Kong, where he worked alongside his father in textiles and later in construction. Even then, he had greater ambitions.

In 1978, Kung immigrated to the United States. He often shared the story of arriving with no English, only $20 in his pocket, and no one to meet him at the airport. That moment fueled his determination. He enrolled in a culinary program and began searching for work in Los Angeles. As he discovered greater opportunities, his ambitions continued to grow, leading him east in search of a better future.

While traveling to Texas, Kung happened to stop in Albuquerque. There, he began working at Ho Lo Ma Chinese Restaurant, where he met Larry. Larry later introduced Kung to his sister, Mei. The two quickly formed a connection and were married shortly thereafter.

Kung continued working in various restaurants until he saw an opportunity to open his own business in Rio Rancho. In 1986, he and Mei opened China Kitchen. Together, they worked tirelessly, often seven days a week for many years, to provide a better life for their family. Their three sons also worked at the restaurant, where they developed practical skills and witnessed firsthand the effort required to build a better future. The experience instilled in them a strong work ethic, responsibility, and resilience.

Through the restaurant, Kung built lasting relationships with many loyal customers and became an active part of the local Chinese restaurant community. He witnessed Rio Rancho grow and proudly served the community for 31 years before retiring.

In retirement, Kung enjoyed learning new skills through small construction projects, gardening, spending time with his two grandchildren, and traveling within the United States. He also fulfilled a long-held goal by becoming a U.S. citizen.

Kung passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, at the age of 73 on December 13, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Mei, and his sons, James, Steve, and William.

The family extends special thanks to the Rust Medical Center staff for their compassionate and diligent care during his final days. Their dedication allowed his extended family precious time to be at his side, a gift only the luckiest among us ever receive.

In accordance with his wishes, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a local food bank. He will be deeply missed.