Harriet Tong

<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Harriet Peebles Tong, 84, died peacefully on October 7, 2011 at the Kimes Convalescent Center in Athens, Ohio, after a prolonged illness.&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 11pt;">Harriet was born in Sioux City, Iowa, the first child of Harold and Katharine Peebles.&nbsp;She was an outstanding student in high school and received a scholarship to study French at Oberlin College where she graduated with an AB degree Summa Cum Laude and first in the 1948 class.&nbsp;She received a MA degree in French in 1949 from the University of Michigan.&nbsp;She enrolled at the University of California in Berkeley for a Ph.D. in Romance Languages.&nbsp;She passed the language examinations in French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, and German by 1951. Marriage and baby interrupted writing her dissertation.&nbsp;In 1971, she received the first Ph.D. awarded in n Comparative Arts at Ohio University.&nbsp;At Ohio University she taught French starting in 1958.&nbsp;After 1971 she taught Art History and Comparative Art at the ATHENS and Lancaster campus of Ohio University.&nbsp;She was also the Coordinator of the Galbreath Chapel at Ohio University and orchestrated the weddings of 600 couples till she retired in 1999.&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 11pt;">She was a born teacher, a devoted mother, and the best wife and friend a man could have.&nbsp;She co-founded the Unitarian Fellowship of ATHENS -n 1957 and taught Unitarian Sunday School for 8 years.&nbsp;She was interested in literature, fine arts, and music and was an engaging conversationalist.&nbsp;She enjoyed theater, dance, and concerts and visiting art museums. She also enjoyed cooking and sewing, making clothes for family members and friends.&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 11pt;">She was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her husband James Y. Tong, three daughters Rebecca Tong, Maria Tong, and Victoria Tong (Chuck Bennett), and four grandchildren Jaana and Aleksis Niinisto and Jessica and Diana Bennett.&nbsp;She is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law Katharine and Roger Sherman and their three children Susan L. Sherman, Deborah Ruth, and Paul W. Sherman <span style="font-size: 11pt;">A Memorial Service will be held at 3 PM on Sunday, October 30, 2011 at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Athens, 184 Longview Heights, Athens, Ohio.&nbsp;Friends and relatives are welcome to share their memories and photos of Harriet.&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 11pt;">In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a worthy cause of your choice: <span style="font-size: 11pt;">(1) My Sister's Place, 1-800-443-3402 (shelter and help for abused women)&nbsp;&nbsp; (2) Planned Parenthood of Southeast Ohio, 1005 E. State St, Suite W, ATHENS -H 45701, 740-593-3375 <span style="font-size: 11pt;">Arrangements are by Hughes-Moquin Funeral Home where you may send the family a message of sympathy at <a href="http://www.hughesmoquinfuneralhome.com/"><font color="#0000ff">www.hughesmoquinfuneralhome.com</font>. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;