Jerry Sik-Vung Ting, Ph.D.

Jerry Sik-Vung Ting, Ph.D. was born in Shanghai, China, in 1918, the son of a prominent Chinese physician. At the age of 19, he came to the United States to attend Emmanuel Missionary College. He attended Michigan State Agricultural College, now Michigan State University, and Ohio State University, where he completed his masters degree in horticulture and began a Ph.D. program in agricultural biochemistry. He met his future wife, Mary Kathryn Miller, while in graduate school, and they married in 1946. After receiving an invitation to teach at the agricultural college of University of Nanking, they moved to Nanking in 1947 intending to stay to teach and advance China's modernization. The civil war in China in 1949 forced Dr. Ting to return with his young family to Ohio, where he completed his Ph.D. He was a research scientist for the Florida Citrus Commission and held an academic appointment with the University of Florida until his retirement in 1983. His career was devoted to citrus biochemistry and juice processing work which proved integral to the orange juice concentrate industry and for the synthesis of vitamin C. He published numerous scientific papers and contributed to several books and textbooks. Following his retirement, he consulted for private and governmental agencies including FMC and UNDP. He and his wife moved to Fort Collins in 1994 and were active in the First United Methodist Church and the International Program at CSU. Following her death in 1996, he remained active with the Methodist church and CSU. He was an active member of the Chinese Evangelical Free Church, volunteered with the Food Bank and attended the Kiwanis Club. The American Chemical Society honored him as a lifetime 50-year member at the 2003 annual meeting. He is survived by a sister, Jean Ting Margolis of New York City, and brother, John Ting of San Mateo, Calif.; three daughters and their families, Evelyn Kay Ting and Larry Greenberg of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Jean Karyl Ting and Barry and Seth Baker of Fort Collins; and Kathryn Ting and Walt, Justin, Nicole and Gavin Palmer of Annandale, Va. Preceding him in death was his wife of 50 years, Mary Kathryn Ting. A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church, 1005 Stover St. Rev. Charles Schuster will officiate the service with contributions by Pastor David Au-Yeung of the Fort Collins Chinese Evangelical Free Church. Memorial contributions can be made to International Student Services/CSU Foundation in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive St., Ft. Collins, CO 80524. Friends may send condolences to the family at www.bohlenderfuneralchapel.com .