~ Three decades of visits and still going strong ~
Introduced to St. Maarten in 1986, Barbara Wong and Clenard “Stu” Stewart quickly fell in love with the island – its beauty, its people, its way of life. It didn’t take long before Wong and Stewart were calling St. Maarten their “home away from home,” and continued extending their visits to the island every year since.
Over the years, they shared their love for the island with friends and family. Their granddaughter, Alexandra Ford, shared that through the family trips, she has become captivated by the island and continues to share in that love. With every new person the couple invited to St. Maarten, came the opportunity for them to experience the island through a fresh set of eyes.
So when Stewart passed away in 1997, St. Maarten could’ve easily become a place of sadness – a reminder of the loss – for Barbara Wong. But to know Barbara is to know that she would never let heartbreak get the best of her. Rather than avoid St. Maarten and its memories, she took to the island for solace. Luckily for Barbara, St. Maarten isn’t a place you go to mourn. The island is so full of life that by returning to St. Maarten, Barbara herself becomes reinvigorated and feels that she is keeping the spirit of her beloved Stewart alive.
This year, in honour of Barbara’s 75th birthday, friends and family have gathered in St. Maarten to celebrate a life well lived. So it’s with sincere gratitude that they say thank you to the island for all that it has meant to the family. To Barbara, Alexandra says, “As your guest, I thank you for introducing us to this wonderful island. As your friend, I thank you for allowing us to join you in your celebration of life, and showing us to never take a day for granted. And as your granddaughter, I thank you for showing me what it means to live your life out loud. So here’s to you, Barbara Wong, a celebration of a wonderful life!”
