ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Oscar Wong, founder of Highland Brewing Company and trailblazer for the craft brewery, died on Sunday, May 25, 2025 at the age of 84.
Wong passed away peacefully at home with Anna, his wife of 57 years, and his daughter, Leah Wong Ashburn, at his side.
Wong was diagnosed with cancer the better part of three years ago. At the time, his doctor told him he had 6 to 12 months to live.
Nicknamed “the godfather of Asheville craft beer” at Highland, the entrepreneur’s life was marked with remarkable fortitude and ingenuity. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Wong had a successful career as an engineer before retiring to Asheville. He opened Highland Brewery, the first craft brewery in Asheville since Prohibition, on April 21, 1994. Today, it stands as one of the oldest and largest family-owned breweries in the Southeast.
Wong was honored with several awards over the course of his life, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2023, the Brewers Association Recognition Award in 2020 and the US Small Business Association North Carolina Person of the Year Award in 2012.
“We honor and celebrate Oscar’s remarkable life as a trailblazer, mentor, and friend to so many. His legacy is woven into the vibrant fabric of every community he touched,” Highland wrote on Facebook. “Oscar was a brilliant engineer-turned-entrepreneur who always embodied generosity, humility, and above all else, connection. Oscar had a gift for making people feel seen and valued and often Oscar reminded us that success is not just about achievement but about giving back.”
According to Highland, Wong’s favorite drink at his brewery was an Oatmeal Porter. The Asheville community raises one in toast to a life well lived.
CORRECTION: 8 p.m., May 27, 2025 — A previous version of this story included a typo. Wong passed away on May 25, 2025, not May 15.