Emily Jane Ow

Emily Jane (nee Gibson) Ow passed away March 29, 2015, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, following a two-and-a-half-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Emily was born Jan. 6, 1947, in Tiffin to William Henry Gibson and Harriet Jane (nee Keller) Gibson. Emily graduated from Tiffin Columbian High School in 1965 and Hope College, Holland, Michigan, in 1969. She taught in the Lansing Public School system until 1973 and lived most of her life in East Lansing. After completing graduate study at Michigan State University, Emily taught developmental reading at Lansing Community College and English to speakers of other languages at LCC, MSU and elsewhere. Her students included young immigrant populations, foreign graduate students, Japanese professionals at Ogihara America Corp. and Korean professionals in the master’s of business administration program at MSU. These areas of specialization reflected Emily’s lifelong interest in cross-cultural relationships, communication, and in equal opportunity for all. Emily married Wellington Ow in 1971 and, together, they were deeply involved members of their community. Emily volunteered at the Community Volunteers for International Programs at MSU, hosting several international students through the Friendship Family Program, and she also was a committed volunteer on the local radio station WKAR Talking Book Program. Emily was adventurous and outdoorsy, an avid seamstress, and a lover of music, theater and travel. Her interest in other cultures, extensive travels abroad and participation in an MSU gourmet cooking group facilitated her skill in preparing a variety of cuisines. She was a longtime member of a novels book club in East Lansing and initiated the Critical Issues Discussion Group with friends in the area. Emily and Welly moved to Kendal-Crosslands Retirement Community in West Chester, Pennsylvania, in August 2013, where they delighted in a close relationship with their young grandchildren. Emily is survived by her husband, Welly, and daughter Millicent (Kevin) Sullivan of Wilmington, Deleware, grandchildren Liam and Kyle Sullivan, sister Julie (Richard) Cox of Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, and numerous beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at Kendall-Crosslands Communities William Penn Room, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Edgewood United Church, 469 N. Hagdorn Road, East Lansing. Receptions will follow for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to the ALS Assocation Greater Philadelphia Chapter (www.alsphiladelphia.org) or Macheo-US (www.macheo.org) or Solar Circle (solar-circle.org) or Wilmington Friends School (www.wilmingtonfriends.org). Condolences to www.longwoodfuneralhome.com.