Mrs. Shirley Shin-yu Chow

周新宇女士生平事略 周新宇女士(Shirley Shin-yu Chow)祖�湖�湘鄉。生於1928年9月8日於長沙。父親周�誠(歿)，�親陳嘉芷(歿)出生世家，在三兄一妹中排行�四，然二哥, 三哥�幺妹早�. 與大哥競宇 (2015歿)最為親近。年少時曾經歷戰爭�日本侵�的蹂�与顛沛。曾就讀於長沙二女中附�，昆明粵秀�學，貴陽�中高中�長沙周�女中。畢業後曾生病�年，�至���北，進入��大學歷�系，後轉入經濟系，1952年�得學士學�。她是父�的寵女，在愛中�長。 學�後就�於招商局，任會計，並管�1, 2 人。於工作时，經�人介紹�識家父周以霖先生，看他為人善良正直。於1956年1月8日�婚。長�美大�年生於北。夫先來美國留學，她於1962年帶�乘�商船 "海上輪" 赴美團�，並於1965年生了女兒美心。 除了會計以外，家��學勤奮，在大学夜校攻读计算机科学系，後擔任計算機程�員。她先後在R.C. Bigelow Tea Co.(Norwalk, CT), Beth Israel Hospital (Boston, MA), Battelle Labs (Richland, WA), Rockwell Rocketdyne (Canoga Park, CA), Infodetics (Santa Monica, CA)等多家公��務，負責盡�，兼顧工作�家庭。 由於家父工作的變化，一家人曾居�多處，包括康州Norwalk, 纽约州Jamestown�Glens Falls, 维�尼亚州Waynesboro, 新澤西州Livingston, 麻州Needham, �盛顿州Richland�加州Rosemead等地。1996年退休後定居�加州蘋果谷Apple Valley。作為賢妻良�，她總是尊敬丈夫，並順應環境的變�。早期時，一家常是城中唯一的�人家庭。她�兒女，親�的愛護與教導，更是影響甚深。 她於�約州Jamestown的Bethel Baptist Church�識主並�浸，是家中第一�信主耶稣基�的。後��加維�尼亞州Waynesboro Free Methodist Church, 由Wayne Lawton牧師帶領。歷經麻州波士頓郊��人�經教會，新澤西州West Essex Baptist Church，三鎮�人宣�會，Lake Avenue Church (湖街教會)�高原�人基�教會。她喜愛音樂��樂，閱讀�經，唱歌��與詩�。最喜歡的詩歌是"主禱文"�"愛的真諦"。最喜愛的�經是哥林多�書13章的愛篇，�喜愛天�色��色。家�有接見款待的�賜(gift of hospitality)，經常和家父烹煮�餚�招待客人朋�，曾回憶在�盛頓州三鎮教會時光為在美最快樂的日�，與弟兄姊妹�樂。她喜愛所有交往�的朋�，也���時的關心。隨著家庭漸漸擴大，有媳婦曉梅，女婿�文，�三�外孫，練志�(Timothy), 練志信(Jeffrey)�練志篤(Daniel)。一家人��的美好時光讓人懷念。她的��馬鈴薯沙拉已�為絕饗。 家�本著中國傳統女性�基�徒精神，順夫愛�。家父晚年多病，她悉心照料，體貼努力。自2011年10月17日夫婿去世後，她生活頓失�心，較寡言，胃�漸減，加上多年的糖尿病，大都居家足�出戶。但她�經常為兒女家人親�禱告。她有代禱的�賜，常常把�樣事情帶到主�，求主賜�指引。並鼓勵家人�事主，尤其美大曉梅居牧�，她更是寶貴的�工，第一線的代禱者，一起�事，擴展神國，故此必在天上得大�賞。她留下的��就是: "�努力事奉主。" 近日來她的體�開始下�，至12/28日在家中摔了一跤後，�康�迅速下滑。蒙主�憫，未多�痛苦，於2017年1月16日夜間凌晨約二時三�分，於�眠中離開人世，進入愛她的主基�懷裡，與天上的親朋團�，並享�永�的�樂。想到她的慈愛笑容, 常常溫暖我們的心，並激起無��念之情。 Biography of Shirley Shin-yu Chow Shirley Shin-yu Chow was born September 8, 1928 in Changsha, Hunan, China. Her grandfather was from nearby Xiangxiang, Hunan. In her family were father Hung-cheng (dec.), mother Chia-chih Chen (dec.) and 5 siblings. She was the 4th child. Sadly, two older brothers and one younger sister died young, leaving her and eldest brother, Chin-yu (dec. 2015), with whom she was quite close. Being the younger child and only daughter, her parents showered her with love and care. She later enrolled as a student at the primary school af�liated with Changsha 2nd Girls High School. Then she moved to Kunming and completed her primary education at Yue-hsiu School. The family then moved to Guiyang where she went to middle & high school. She graduated from Chou-Nan Girls High School in Changsha. In her younger years, the family experienced the turmoil and uncertainties of the Sino-Japanese War. After graduation, she fell ill for half a year, but recovered. Later, she moved to Taipei, Taiwan with her family and enrolled at National Taiwan University, �rst as a history major and later switching to economics, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1952. Not long after, she worked in accounting at the China Merchants Bureau and oversaw 1-2 employees. During this time, she was introduced by a friend to our father, Allan I-lin Chow. Admiring him for his good heart and upright character, the two married on January 8, 1956. Then, when their �rstborn, Martin Mei-ta, was just 1 year 3 months, Allan left Taiwan to study as an international student in the USA. In early 1962, Mom & Martin emigrated to the U.S. on board the "Haishang" commercial ship, going through U.S. Customs on 1/16/62 (exactly 55 years to the day before she passed away), and arrived in New York City to reunite with Allan, after being apart for 4 years. Later, on New Year's Day 1965, a daughter, Margaret Mei-shin was born & added to the family. Having worked in accounting many years, Mom decided to earn a degree in computer science by taking night classes after work. After graduating, she began work in her second career of computer programming. Companies she worked for include R.C. Bigelow Tea Co. (Norwalk, CT), Beth Israel Hospital (Boston, MA), Battelle Labs (Richland, WA), Rockwell Rocketdyne (Canoga Park, CA) and Infodetics (Santa Monica, CA). She was known for her meticulous industry and loyalty at work, and managed to maintain a careful balance between family and career. Due to Dad's periodic changes in work, the family lived in many places, including Norwalk, CT, Jamestown & Glens Falls, NY, Waynesboro, VA, Livingston, NJ, Needham, MA, Richland, WA & Rosemead, CA. Upon retirement in 1996, the Chows settled in Apple Valley, CA. As a virtuous wife and good mother, she respected her husband and learned to adjust to changes in the living environment. Early on, up to the early 70s, the Chows were the only Chinese family in town. Her devoted love and educational emphasis for the children played a signi�cant role in their growth & development. Mom became a Christian, the �rst one in the family, and was baptized in 1965 at Bethel Baptist Church in Jamestown, NY. She later attended Waynesboro Free Methodist Church pastored by Rev. Wayne Lawton, where Allan came to the LORD. Membership at other churches include Greater Boston Chinese Bible Church (MA), West Essex Baptist Church (NJ), Tri-Cities Chinese Alliance Church (WA), Lake Avenue Church (CA) & High Desert Chinese Christian Church (CA), etc. She loved music & Christian music, reading the Bible & choral singing. Her favorite songs of faith are "The Lord's Prayer" and "The Essence of Love" (Chinese). Her favorite Scripture is I Corinthians 13, the love chapter. Sky blue & blue are favorite colors. Shirley had the gift of hospitality and practiced it often with Dad by cooking delicious meals for friends & guests at home. She fondly remembers her time living in Richland, WA with church friends as her happiest moments in the U.S. She appreciates all her friends and thanks them for their care & concern. By God's grace, more members were added to the family with Sharmaye (daughter-in-law), Willington (son-in-law), and three grandsons, Timothy, Jeffrey & Daniel. As family members, we all thoroughly enjoyed her culinary skills. Her shrimp potato salad was a real treat in taste & nutrition. In Shirley resided the traditional values of a Chinese woman and a Christ-like spirit. This led her to submit to her husband and love her children. Though Dad had his share of health challenges, she took excellent care of him. When Dad was in hospice, Mom took up the responsibility of constant care. After he passed away on 10/17/2011, however, Mom's life suddenly lost focus, and she became more withdrawn, spoke less, and her appetite declined. Add to this the physical toll of battling diabetes since her 30s, she spent more time at home, rarely going out. However, she prayed often for her family members, relatives and friends. As a gifted intercessor, she brought requests before the LORD in prayer, asking Him to lead & guide. She often encouraged family members to serve the LORD. Mom was a precious co-worker of Martin & Sharmaye, who are pastors and leaders in the Body of Christ. As a frontline prayer warrior, she served to expand God's Kingdom. For this, we believe that God has a great reward for her in heaven . The charge she has given us and future generations is: "Serve the LORD fervently." In recent days, her body weight began to decline, until 12/28/16 when she fell at home. After this, her health rapidly deteriorated. By the LORD's mercy, she did not suffer much or long. About 2:30 AM on 1/16/2017, she passed away peacefully in her sleep, and entered into the presence of the LORD Jesus who loves her so. Now she is reunited with her loved ones, where she will always be joyful and continue to pray for us. We will deeply miss her beaming smile and loving heart. "Mother, may you rest peacefully until the day we meet again!"