Kathleen Ng

It is with great sadness but also with great hope in the Lord that we announce the passing of Kathleen Kam-Ping Ng, of Kansas City, Missouri, who left us peacefully on May 18, 2026. She was 85 years old and was loved by all.

Kathleen was born on January 27th, 1941 in the town of Seria, which is located in the wealthy country of Brunei, but she grew up poor among her family of five siblings. She was a good student and excelled at sewing, eventually developing her skills of precision and patience to the point where the school called on her to be a teacher.

She met her future husband John Ng at school and they married in 1965. Two years later they immigrated to America for better opportunities for their children. With $200 to their name, they started a family in Hawaii (The 50th State) and worked hard to put their two children through Catholic schools.

Kathleen found employment in Hawaii as a seamstress, initially working in mass production (legal version of a sweatshop) for only a few dollars an hour. Employers took notice of her hard work and the quality of her sewing and gave her many new and challenging tasks. She earned a good reputation that led to the highlight of her professional career which was being the dressmaker for the contestants and winners of the Miss Hawaii, Miss America, and Miss Universe pageants. It was no surprise that her daughter asked her mom to custom design her wedding gown; and Kathleen’s future granddaughters and granddaughters-in-law trusted her talented hands to prepare their dresses to perfection. She humbly never made more than $10/hour during her entire career; but remained ever thankful for the opportunities she was given, and was content to help provide for her children the financial stability she didn’t have in Seria.

Kathleen was inspired to become Catholic in 1997, joining her two children and sister-in-law Sr. Christine Mary Jeanne in baptism. She was the only student of that year’s RCIA class at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Honolulu. She was baptized on Easter Vigil in 1997 and we believe that moment marked a life-changing event for her. She found purpose in serving God with all her heart and in her retirement became one of the most valuable volunteers for the Co-Cathedral, helping the Church with her sewing skills and becoming the sponsor of new Catholics through the RCIA program every Easter.

In 2015, Kathleen and John left their home in Honolulu, Hawaii to live at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Kansas City, Missouri, to be near their daughter and be loving grandparents to their young grandchildren. At the start of her time at the Little Sisters of the Poor apartments, Kathleen quickly resumed her dedication to serving the Church and took on the duties of a sacristan. She fell in love with the job and took on responsibilities with her signature precision and attention to detail. She brought her work home, often “studying up” before daily Mass by tuning in to EWTN and making note of the priest’s vestments and the altar covers. Often her television was set to the Little Sister’s CCTV channel, checking up on adoration preparations or decor changes. She anticipated the needs of the chapel and tried to anticipate Fr. Hart’s needs too - always ready with a cup of water or new batteries. We believe that her joy and effort in doing her job really did please the Lord, and He gave her a sense of purpose and peace in return.

Perhaps her husband noticed Kathleen’s passion for the Church, or the kindness of the Little Sisters, the devotion of their faithful friends, or was overcome by the years of daily prayers for his conversion, (maybe all of the above) John would come to love Jesus and the Church as well. On Easter Monday, April 6th, 2026, Kathleen’s wish came true and John Ng was baptized into the Church by our own Fr. Joseph. About a month later, our Lord rewarded Kathleen’s unwavering faith, hope, and charity by calling her soul up to heaven to be with Him.

She is survived by her devoted, husband, John Ping-Wai Ng, and her loving children, Dennis Siu Yin Ng and Dina Siu Hoong Luke. Kathleen was a proud grandmother to Brendan (Hannah) Luke, Grace (Matthew) Houghtaling, Haley (Kolby Ritter) Luke, Joseph Luke, William Luke, and Patrick Luke. Each of them hold a special place in their hearts for their grandmother’s gentle guidance and endless affection.

She is also lovingly remembered by her siblings, brother Kauman (Honghar) Tang, sister Agnes Ah Wan Chang, and sister-in-law Jenny Jun Yin Tang. She was preceded in death by her parents, Chun and Ah Yok Tang, sister Yin Peng Tang (Thiam Vui Lim), brother-in-law Yuk Long Chang, and brother Kui Chiang Tang.

Kathleen’s family and friends will gather to honor her gentle spirit and lasting impact at the following services:

A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Little Sisters of the Poor, located at 8745 James A Reed Rd, Kansas City, MO.

A rosary will be prayed for the repose of her soul starting at 6:30 PM on Thursday.

The next day, Friday, May 29, a Mass celebrating her life will commence at 10:30 AM at the same location, followed by a graveside service at 1:30 PM in Topeka at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to:

The Little Sisters of the Poor

8745 James A Reed Rd,

Kansas City, MO 64138

Letters of condolence can be written to John Ng, ℅ Little Sisters of the Poor at the same address.