Christine Joan Wong

Christine Joan Wong (née Higgins) known to family and friends as “Joan”, passed away peacefully on March 23, 2025, at the age of 86 in Salt Lake City, UT. 

Born on September 17, 1938, in Dublin, Ireland, to John and Catherine Higgins, Joan was the youngest of seven siblings. She adored her family and had fond memories of growing up at Markievicz House. In her early twenties, Joan left Ireland and set out for Washington, D.C., where she made lifelong friends and met Raymond Wong, the love of her life. They married on February 27, 1971, settled in Centreville, VA, and raised three children together: Allan, Jennifer, and Patrick.​

After Raymond’s passing in 2009, Joan moved to Salt Lake City, UT, in 2010 to be closer to her daughter, Jennifer, and son-in-law, Gregory O’Neil. She played an instrumental role in the upbringing of her cherished grandchildren, Harper and Teagan O’Neil, offering them unwavering love and guidance.​

Joan was an adventurer at heart with wanderlust in her bones, always open to new places and experiences that we believe was driven by her deep passion for reading. She devoured books all her life, especially mysteries. She enjoyed music, particularly country, saying when she first moved to the U.S. it was the closest thing to Irish music she could find.  She will be remembered for her patience, sense of humor, optimism, and selflessness.​

She is survived by her sister, Maura Nolan; her children: Allan, Jennifer (Gregory O’Neil), and Patrick; and her grandchildren: Harper and Teagan O’Neil. Joan was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 38 years, Raymond; her sisters, Lena and Monica; and her brothers, Thomas, Billy, and Sean.​

A celebration of Joan’s life will be held on Tuesday, April 1st from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Millcreek, Utah. Please join us to toast our cherished mother, grandmother and friend. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, honoring Joan’s lifelong commitment to children’s well-being.