Constance W. '"Conny"' Chow

Lyons Falls- Constance Madeleine Wheater Chow, was born on a sunny summer afternoon, July 30, 1948, (at two minutes of three) at the Lewis County General Hospital in Lowville, and passed on while surrounded by the love, care and comfort of her beloved husband and family on Friday, July 13, 2012, at the Lewis County Extended Care Facility. Affectionately known as Conny, she was born into a family consisting of her mother Helen Janet Bickelhaupt Wheater, father, Stanley Hill Wheater, older brother, Eric L. Wheater and older sister, Judith W. Jones. Conny attended Lyons Falls High School from kindergarten through grade nine and graduated from South Lewis Senior High School with the Class of 1966. She graduated with a B.S. degree from the College of Agriculture of Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Mrs. Chow was employed in many occupations throughout her working life, including child care, keeper at the Utica Children's Zoo, various nursing positions in several animal hospitals, program developer at an interactive family oriented museum, assistant to Director of Historic Cherry Hill, Albany and Director of Constable Hall, Constableville (both historic house museums). She contributed to a 1974 research report on potential uses of video telephone systems by the medical field and the deaf community. Mrs. Chow was a substitute teacher and school librarian, part time tour guide at El Yunque rainforest in Puerto Rico; she served on a community support staff for young men with autism at Franziska Racker Centers, Ithaca. At the present time, Mrs. Chow was employed as Assistant Librarian at the William H. Bush Memorial Library in Martinsburg. Mrs. Chow was a member of Forest Presbyterian Church, Lyons Falls where she volunteered in various service roles. While living in Puerto Rico, Conny served as a La Leche League Leader and was a leader of Brownie and Cub Scout troops. At the present time, she was serving as President of the Lyons Falls Library Board. Beloved wife of Max A. Chow, of Puerto Rico and New York, she was married on December 3, 1978, at Sage Chapel of Cornell University. Loving mother to daughter, Jing-Mei Merima, of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and sons, Jing-ta Matthew and Jing-lung William, both of Boston, MA. Beloved sister of Eric L. Wheater and Judith W. Jones, both of Lyons Falls. Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation at 10:00AM, Forest Presbyterian Church, 4019 Center St., Lyons Falls; the Memorial Service will begin at 11:00 AM, where Rev. Naomi Kelly, Pastor, will officiate. Interment will be private at Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY. Memorial contributions may be made to Forest Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 326, Lyons Falls, NY 13368. Her arrangements are in care of Trainor Funeral Home, Inc. 143 Schuyler St., Boonville. For an on-line message of sympathy, please go to www.trainorfuneralhome.com.