Margaret Ongo
Born In: Port aux Basques
Passed in: North Sydney
Passed on: January 17th, 2014
Our beautiful mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Margaret Jane Ongo (Francis), passed from this life peacefully, on Friday, January 17, 2014, at the Northside Community Guest Home.
Margaret was a daughter of the late Philip and Rebecca (Buttery) Francis. She was born in Port aux Basques, Nfld., but spent most of her life in North Sydney, where she raised her family with the late Frederick Ongo.
Prior to raising her family, Margaret worked as a switchboard operator for Newfoundland and Ontario telephone companies. Later she ran the F&M Lunch in Boularderie and the Candle Dining Room in North Sydney. She was a tireless worker and spent many years in retail and once again in the restaurant industry, as hostess of the Gateway Restaurant in North Sydney.
Margaret was happiest when she was surrounded by family. She enjoyed being active in the lives of her children, no matter how old they became, and loved her grandchildren dearly. She was the glue that held our family together despite any obstacles or distance.
She also enjoyed time spent with friends. She was a Lifetime member of the North Sydney Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the North Sydney Senior Citizens and Pensioners Club. Margaret was passionate about her bingo and few things came between her and a good game. She was a member of St. Joseph Church, North Sydney.
Margaret is survived by her children, Darlene Watson, Sydney, Philip and his fiancé Angie, Centre Burlington, Hants County, NS, Keith Ongo and his wife, Melanie Fells and Sandra Theriault, both of Sydney Mines; by her four grandchildren, Christina and her husband Clinton O’Shea and their son Conor, Colchester England, Rebecca Ongo of Centreville, Kings County, NS, Chelsey Theriault of Sydney Mines and Greg Day, Alberta; by her sister, Dorothy Cross and brother, Oswald Francis, both of Port aux Basques, Nfld.
She was predeceased by her first husband, Charles Lillington, when she was very young; her second husband, Fred Ongo; her sister, Regis Rose, brothers, Walter, Clarence and Arthur Francis and her son-in-law, Eric Watson.
Visitation for Margaret will be 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, in the W.J. Dooley Funeral Home, 107 Pleasant St., North Sydney. A funeral mass will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Church, North Sydney, with Rev. Francis Cameron officiating. Burial will take place in Holy Cross Cemetery, at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Northside Community Guest Home or a charity of choice.
Online condolences may be sent to www.wjdooley.com.
To the one that bears the sweetest name
And adds luster to the same,
Sweet rest to her
For there is no other,
Who will take the place
Of our dear Mother.
