1961 Classmate David Eugene Ong of Nashville, Tennessee passed away due to cancer on April 25,2015 in his home.
After graduation from Elkhart High School, he received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Wabash College in 1965, where he graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. He received his Ph.D in bio chemistry from Yale University in 1970.
David was best know as a scientist in the biochemistry department at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine from 1970 until 2008. Together with his mentor, he discovered cellular binding proteins for retinol and retinoic acid ( two forms of vitamin A) . Dr. Ong and Dr. Chytil shared the prestigious Osborne and Mendel Award from the American Institute of Nutrition in 1983. David was considered to be one of the leading authorities in the study of vitamin A function. He published widely and was in demand as a speaker internationally.
David had many friends and was a “true” renaissance man. He was an amateur photographer, videographer and painter. He was a collector of art and sculpture. He enjoyed gardening and grew many Bonsai trees. He enjoyed woodworking, loved games and had a nine-foot pool table and seven pinball machines. His favorite was music. He had an extensive collection of vinyl records and CDs that covered early to modern; jazz, gospel, blues, blue-grass and rock ‘n’ roll.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Daniel of Elkhart. He is survived by his finance Lili Marx of Pittsburgh; his brother Stephen Ong and wife Teri of Greeley, Colorado; his brother B. Nelson Ong of New Rochelle, N.Y; a brother Page Ong of Nashville; a brother Kevin Ong and wife Valerie of Elkhart,; a sister Megan Corbridge and husband Bryan of Elkhart; a stepson John Hauber and wife Lori of Westfield, IN; a stepdaughter, Julie Maxham and husband Dave of Florence, South Carolina; 17 nephews and nieces, and 21 grand nephews, step grandnephews, grandnieces and step grandnieces.
A David E. Ong Memorial Scholarship Fund is being set up for students to attend David’s alma mater, Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN.
A memorial celebration of David’s life will be Saturday May 16th in his home in Nashville. Please contact Page Ong at onge@comcast.net for the location, time and to RSVP.
Our condolences to the family.