Obituary of Donald W. Ady

Donald Wilson Ady began his life on September 28th, 1932 in Canton China. Born to Presbyterian missionary parents Merrill and Lucile Ady, Donald was residing in Hong Kong with his parents on December 12th, 1941 when war broke out. After the island fell, they were interned at Stanley Internment Camp until they were repatriated in June of 1942. Once the war ended, the family returned to China where Donald attended the Shanghai American School. He returned to the United States at the outset of the Shanghai Campaign, finishing high school in Evanston, Illinois.

After graduating from Wooster College with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Donald served for two years in the U.S. Army, and then attended Ohio State University, graduating with a Masters in Chemical Engineering. While living in Columbus, he met his future wife Barbara Sayers, and they were married in 1957.

The couple lived and worked in Cincinnati, Ohio; Glens Falls, NY; Asheboro, NC; and Elgin, IL; and eventually settled in Summit, NJ, where Donald worked until his retirement from Bell Labs.

A devoted husband and father, Donald shared his love of sailing with his family, restoring wooden sailboats and sailing them on the Navesink River. A teacher and lifelong learner, there were few problems he could not solve, or things he could not repair. Thoughtful and generous, he was fond of regaling all with his limitless trove of stories that he always had at hand.

Preceded in death by his mother and father, sister Carolyn Simonson, and brother Robert Ady, Donald is survived by his wife Barbara, daughter Kimberly, and son Scott.

A memorial service will be held at the Central Presbyterian Church in Summit, NJ, on April 6^th, 2024, at 11:00 AM.