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Cheryl Chow
Cheryl Chow, 1997
Member of the Seattle City Council
from Position 8
In office
January 1, 1990 – January 1, 1998
Preceded byJeanette Williams
Succeeded byRichard McIver
Personal details
Born
Cheryl Mayre Chow

(1946-05-24)May 24, 1946
Seattle, Washington
DiedMarch 29, 2013(2013-03-29) (aged 66)
Seattle, Washington
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSarah Morningstar (m. March 16, 2013)
RelationsRuby Chow (Mother)
Edward Shui "Ping" Chow (Father)
ChildrenLiliana Morningstar-Chow
Alma materWestern Washington University (BA)

Cheryl Chow (May 24, 1946 – March 29, 2013) was an American educator and politician. She was a Seattle City Council member from 1990 to 1997.

Early life and career

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Chow was born in Seattle, Washington, on May 24, 1946.[1] Chow's father was Edward Shui "Ping" Chow, a Cantonese opera singer who received U.S. Citizenship after he was discharged from the United States Army, and her mother was Ruby Chow, who served as a King County Councilwoman, the first Asian American elected to that council.[2] Her parents also owned the famous Ruby Chow's restaurant, where Bruce Lee once worked.[3] Chow's maternal grandparents were Chinese immigrants who had come to the United States to work on the railroad lines.[3]

Chow graduated from Franklin High School and then attended Western Washington University.[4] After college, Chow worked as a physical education teacher at Hamilton International Middle School, a public school in the Seattle School District.[4] She then became a principal at Sharples Junior High School (now Aki Kurose Middle School Academy).[4][5] Chow also coached girls' basketball for the city parks and recreation department and became an instructor for the Chinese Girls Drill Team Team, which was started by her mother.[4][6]

In 1985, Chow ran for the King County Council for the seat her mother was retiring from, ultimately losing the election.[7] Before running for Seattle City Council, she worked at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.[7]

Seattle City Council

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In 1989, Chow ran for Seattle City Council against longtime incumbent Jeanette Williams.[8] In the November general election Chow narrowly defeated Williams, 50% to 49%.[9] She ran for reelection in 1993, winning in a landslide with 74% of the vote.[9]

In her first term, Chow chaired the Parks and Public Grounds Committee, and in her second term, she chaired the Health, Housing, Human Services, Education and Libraries Committee.[8] During her time on council, she helped form the Families and Education Levy, which funded after school programs, and helped build five community centers in the city.[6][10] Chow stated her greatest achievements was getting the late night recreation centers and pulling together Asian gang leaders.[6] In 1996, Chow worked as interim principal at West Seattle’s Madison Middle School while on the council, which received some criticism from community members.[10]

She decided not to run for reelection to her council seat in 1997 and instead ran for Seattle mayor.[8] In the September primary election, Chow failed to advance past the primary.[11]

In 1999, Chow ran for Seattle City Council in Position 1 after council member Sue Donaldson decided not to run for office.[12] In the August primary, Chow came in second and advanced to the general election with political newcomer, Judy Nicastro coming in first.[13] Chow outraised Nicastro by over $12,000 due to her support from landlords and business leaders.[14] Chow and her supporters labeled Nicastro as a "radical leftist," and Nicastro and her supporters labeled Chow "mediocre."[15]

Chow would narrowly lose the November General Election to Nicastro, 49.51% to 50.49%.[16]

Post-council

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After leaving the city council, Chow became an interim principal position at her alma mater, Franklin High School, and then at Garfield High School.[5][8] In 2005, Chow was elected to the Seattle School Board when the district saw increasing school closures and instability.[5] Chow She served until 2009 and became School Board President during her tenure.[7][17]

Personal life

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Chow came out as a lesbian in August 2012.[18] On March 16, 2013, less than two weeks before her death, Chow married her partner of ten years, Sarah Morningstar.[5] Together, they have a daughter, Liliana Morningstar-Chow.[5]

Cheryl Chow died on March 29, 2013 of central nervous system lymphoma at age 66, in Seattle.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Cheryl Mayre Chow obituary, Seattle Times via legacy.com; accessed October 19, 2014.
  2. ^ Cruz, Jason (July 13, 2011). "Remembering Ping Chow". Northwest Asian Weekly. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Valdes, Manuel (June 8, 2008). "Ruby Chow, Seattle's Chinese-American matriarch, dies". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d "Cheryl Chow speaking at 34th District Democrats meeting, Seattle, July 12, 1989". Museum of History & Industry. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Cheryl Chow, educator and former city council member, passes away at 66". Northwest Asian Weekly. April 5, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Alison Morrow (March 29, 2013). "Obituary". Northwest Cable News. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  7. ^ a b c Hefter, Emily (March 29, 2013). "Cheryl Chow dies: City Council member, educator, advocate for children". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d "Cheryl Chow Subject Files, 1988-1995". Archive West. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "General and Special Elections". Seattle Municipal Archives. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  10. ^ a b Howland Jr., George (October 9, 2006). "Cheryl's chow". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  11. ^ "Seattle Mayor's Race Down To Three Port Commissioner Tops Vote, Absentee Ballots To Determine His Opponent". The Spokesman-Review. September 18, 1997. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  12. ^ Steffen, Alex (August 5, 1999). "CHARIOTS OF FIRE". The Stranger. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  13. ^ Couric, Katie (September 16, 1999). "Primary Night Fever". The Stranger.
  14. ^ "Seattle's Pragmatic Populist". The Stranger. January 25, 2001. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  15. ^ Corr, O. Casey (October 27, 1999). "Nicastro Doesn't Deserve This Political Mugging". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  16. ^ "November 2, 1999 General Election". King County Elections. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  17. ^ Rolph, Amy (December 6, 2006). "School Board elects Chow president". Seattle Post Intelligencer. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  18. ^ "Former Seattle city councilwoman Cheryl Chow's last crusade". King5. August 22, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
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