Ena Mausleen Tong

Ena Mausleen Fung-A-Fat was born on August 27th, 1926 to the late Irene Sumner and Walter Fung-A-Fat in Beterverwagting/Truimph Village, Guyana. She was raised with her cousins in the home of her Aunty Ning in BV Housing Scheme. As a child she attended St. Mary’s Primary School, at the time her family owned a Lemonade and Rum shop where she and her cousin would race to help out every day afterschool. Eventually she’d meet a bus driver, Cecil Tong, who would sweep her off of her feet, they would marry and their union would produce Marcia and Selwyn, but they would later part ways. Years later she would meet Vernon Gray and form a union that would create Vanny, but it would turn out that this union too would not last causing her to be a single mother and force her to make a way for herself and her children. Ena utilized the skills she acquired from her earlier years and opened up a cookshop on Regent St. called ‘The Roost’, where she became known for her cooking, a skill that she would pass on to her children.  Over time she would develop an abundance of friendships that would evolve into family and despite her many hardships she never turned anyone away she’d provide knowledge, wisdom, food and a place to stay as a true mother would, so it was no surprise when everyone began referring to her as Mommy Ena.

In 1985, Ena would migrate to Brooklyn, New York where she continued to dedicate her life to helping others, not only did she take on the role as a second mother to Marcia’s 3 daughters every day; she eagerly looked forward to the extended visits of Selwyn’s 4. Ena would become a home attendant on the weekends while being a Mother and Grandmother to the neighborhood on the weekdays. She would volunteer at her granddaughters school and still have dinner on the table by the time the grands got home from school at 3:00, she was truly superwoman. In Brooklyn, she became affectionately known to everyone as “Granny”. Everyone knew if you wanted fresh bread and Roti or even a non-judgmental ear Granny’s house was where you needed to be. Just as she had in Guyana, she was known to open up her home to many and create a level of comfort leaving it very difficult to differentiate between neighbors and Family. In 2007 she moved to Dunnellon, Florida but could not resist the urge to return to Brooklyn regularly for months at a time to help out as her grandchildren started giving her great grandchildren and making her an “Epo”. In true Ena fashion she made sure she was there to help guide her great grands, as she had with her grands and her own children before. She was many things to many people, far too many to word but it would not be right if we didn’t acknowledge her outspoken fresh mouth and ability to create a room full of laughter. As she began growing older and weaker her visits to New York had lessened and although everyone was there to help when necessary it was Vanny, her youngest daughter who took on the roll as care taker night and day, until she took he last breath the afternoon of March 18th, 2019.

Ena Leaves to mourn:

Children: Marcia & Husband Egan Kelman, Selwyn and Wife Audrey Tong and Vanny

Stepchildren: Marilyn, Jackie, Lorna, Brent (deceased) and Karen (deceased)

Grandchildren: Yen, Carlos, Raymond, Bryanne, Kaity, Raylon, Takara, Marvin, Miles, Jeffrey, Brandon, Romel, Yansan, Marlon, Angie, Mario, Mark and Natasha

Great Grand Children: Armani, Jelani, Tenagne, Laila, Raylon Jr, Kenzie, Braylon, Payton and Brandon Jr.

Siblings: Lensing, Stanley, Patricia, Loretta, Frederick (deceased), Rudy (deceased), Malcolm (deceased) and Benji (deceased)

Neices & Nephews: Douglass, Annie, Lloyd, Jacklyn, Carolyn, Raymond, Dainelle, Jerry and far many more than text would allow.

And a host of family members all over the world in addition to all the honorary children and grandchildren as no one was a friend after stepping into Mommy Ena’s home.

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