Stephanie Edith Ong (18 Apr 1955 - 2 Nov 2025)

Please if anyone has stories they would like to share please share them. Our mum loved telling us stories of memories growing up and I would love to see some

Dear Stephanie, I spent so many hours enjoying listening to all of your stories, so i hope there’s comfort for anyone in the memories you shared with me.
As a girl you often stayed in your Granny’s house in Ballymena, who had a very aggressive little poodle who attacked the postman, when a huge crow flew into your bedroom room at night through the fireplace sparking a lifelong fear of birds.
You loved to cycle down the hill from there, and walked miles to school each day but had to be wary of the otters crossing the bridge by the river which could be quite territorial. You were really ill while staying at your Father’s caravan after eating winkles from the foot of the cliffs below, and tales of your Father and his old Rover car. You’d often speak of the castle in Ballymena, the history and legends from there and how you were asked to go to the boys catholic school where Liam Neeson was to play violin for choir.
When doing your Duke of Edinburgh you got lost and were chased through a farmyard by angry geese, sunk into the bog climbing Slemmish mountain and were given a lift back in army jeeps.
You would occasionally stay at grandparents in Sussex where you could see the veteran car run as I do each year. Your grandfather had been a POW at the hands of the Japanese passed in the Chelsea military hospice and kindly gave the children each five pound note to spend on sweets before he passed, although he begged you for a cigarette first.
Lectures of how Susan was not going on my motorcycle because they’re so dangerous, but how I’d get on with your cousin Norman who took you for a hundred mile an hour blast on the back of his motorcycle with no crash helmet, and your father told you to keep away from boys with motorcycles because he’d seen you on it.
That other girls in Ballymena were into pop music with their beehives and dresses while you were more of a hippie, and an uncle who had a huge purple Cadillac on the narrow lanes.
You spoke of tales of Canterbury and our shared love of Rock music, and how you were at a bar when an Ozzy fan burst in and tried to copy his hero by attempting to bite the head off a budgie, which didn’t work out well for him.. how great Santana was yet Deep Purple were so poor the crowd called out for the opening act to come back on.
It was here that you met your beloved husband and you couldn’t believe that he walked home barefoot after betting his cowboy boots on a game of pool, but never let go of the fact some “friends” who were round pilfered your cherished record collection.
Many tales of your beloved dog Nero in South Norwood where your apartment was a converted chapel for the Russian Embassy with a beautiful ceiling and windows, and you’d have to bang on the neighbours door as it was Raymond Burns from the damned, who’d be rehearsing and keeping the baby up, although you’d often see limousines outside with the likes of Geldof and Bono visiting. He had lots of rabbits and always tried to talk to Nero who growled at him when he asked to use your phone to sort out recordings as he didn’t have a phone.
I don’t think you ever let go that you were offered Queen concert tickets but went into labour. And of course many lovely stories of Emily the Labrador.
How you marched in to give the headteacher a dressing down over an issue with one of the girls, but then couldn’t keep a straight face as he was a spitting image of Captain Mainwairing, and travelling with the girls with Judith in her husbands Volkswagen camper.
You shared such wonderful tales of your travels and the history, art and architecture of Paris, Rome, Nice, Venice, Switzerland, Sorrento, Ronda and the Puente Nuevo, Pompeii and climbing Vesuvius, and of course Singapore and Malaysia where you were wary of the snakes and tigers in the jungle, and visiting the floating fishing village where the river was full of crocodiles.
Of course, we will always be grateful for the cherished memories of the travels that you shared with us all on family holidays and nothing meant more to you than being together as a family. I always protested to Susan that you didn’t need to give such extravagant gifts to us all and were so overly generous with the children, but nothing meant more to you than your grandchildren.
I am grateful for the memories, love and friendship I have shared with Susan and your family, and the generosity toward and love the children shared with you. Your loss is sorely felt but I hope that all can find solace in the fond memories and peace that you are no longer suffering as you have done for so long. With love and gratitude, Nick.

Dear Stephanie,

As you’re laid to rest today I hope you keep with you how loved you were and will always be.

By Tee, your daughters, grandkids and extended family including me. The whole Clan!

Enjoy being pain free. Being free of hospital visits, constant assessments and tests.

You are already deeply missed.

Rest in Peace Steph XXXXX

In the name of my dear friend Stephanie x

Farewell, dearest Stephanie. You have left this world too soon. I will forever remember your beautiful violin playing and the warmth of your tone. Your music touched so many hearts.
It was such a delight to reconnect via Facebook just a few years ago. Your positive life-affirming postings reflected your joy of family and music, your wisdom, elegance and serenity, and your key role, as wife, mother and grandmother, at the heart of a close-knit family
I have so many fond memories of our happy times in the 1960s as beginner violinists in the County Antrim Youth Orchestra . I will try to add the photo you sent of our younger selves in action, complete with our fabulous pudding bowl home haircuts! Years later we formed a class of just two studying A Level Music with Mr Farren at Cambridge House 6th Form. I loved this time and playing chamber music with you at Ballymena Festival has always remained fondly in my memory.

Rest in peace, you most beautiful soul. Keep making your divine music!

My earliest memory of my sister was probably one of terror that the bogey man was going to get me! but also kind ones too as she took me to my first pantomime with her friends and dancing later to baycity rollers with our tartan. When she moved away to University I was 6yrs old and so missed my sister and many years followed of travelling to England and also waiting at Larne harbour for her when she came home. I never liked to share her with anyone and remember being at my aunties house when she phoned and slammed the door on my cousin's fingers when she tried to take over my phone call. I probably enjoyed most sitting with her and my mum into the night talking when she came home and we had to put all the beds together to fit everyone in, mind you that talking was quite annoying when we went to the cinema and didn't get to hear any of it as my mum and her talked the whole way through.
In later years my mental health prevented me from being the sister I so longed to be, especially lately when she was so ill and it hurt me so much not to be with her, but on thinking of it I probably would have annoyed her too much with over fussing. It always comforted me knowing what a great family she had around her and grandchildren that brought her so much joy.
So as you are laid to rest my sister I will spend time at our mum's grave as I can't visit yours and think of you and all the things I loved about you.
Love you always, your sister Avril❤️

In loving memory of my sister-in law Stephanie

Dear family and friends of Stephanie Ong, I regret to inform you that we will be unable to run a livestream of Stephanie’s funeral on 22 December as we had hoped.
I know this is disappointing news, but wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of those who have sent cards, and so generously shared their stories and messages of our lovely mum. It has meant more to us than words can say.

I honestly don’t know where to start. Me and my husband lived in very-different times when we met Tee on Gatwick Express. My husband fell in love with Steph straight away which made it easier for me and Tee to have a few drinks. I was introduced to their beautiful family and naturally found the boyfriends gorgeous. Steph you didn’t judge when it was easy. You brought joy into our lives and we will miss you .

To our beautiful cousin we love you to bits it's sad that she has gone. Many memories of our time in our holidays to Ireland when we were young laughter we had with Stephanie and all the other cousins.love from all the family.RIP beautiful lady and to all the family God bless.🥰💕

My dear friend Stephanie. Nearly 40 years ago I moved to Gillingham,Bridget came home and said "I've made a friend today, shes new too her name's Swee Bee" and that was it.Our families had so many happy times together when the children were growing up.Every Sunday the children would go off to the Salvation Army and we sat together putting the world to rights.The outings we had ....always fun and always a story to tell...the Dickens festival where the rain started and the kids ended up wearing bin bags sitting under a table...Windsor Safari Park on a coach with a broken toilet 4 little ones 2 only recently potty trained and 1 potty !!!...Chessington where Stephanie convinced me the runaway train went slowly ..she lied. The girls went to Brownies and Guides together and who could forget the trauma of the carnival in a storm on an open back lorry, nearly slipping off as it went up hills and Abbies tooth coming out stuck in a chomp !! We both loved the Eurovision and i always enjoyed her concerts. So many lovely memories.
Stephanie was a devoted Mum to her girls, she was rightly very proud of them all and more recently her beautiful grandchildren, and what a great partnership and loving bond she has shared for so many years with Ong really special.The last few years their love and care for her has been faultless throughout the most difficult times, ensuring she has had everything possible she deserved and needed and when necessary advocating for her to receive the care she chose.
This is such a sad time, but when I think of Stephanie, Judith Mary Ferry will smile remember her lovely face and think of all the fun and laughter we shared.