Senior Citizens Founder Mrs. Shata Ling, 64, Dies

Senior Citizens Founder Mrs. Shata Ling, 64, Dies

Mrs. Daniel S. (Shata) Ling, 64, of 2304 Vinewood Blvd., founder of the Ann Arbor Senior Citizens Guild, prime mover in the establishment of Lurie Terrace housing project for the aged, author and nationally know social worker, died this morning at University Hospital following a long illness.

Holder of many awards for her work with senior citizens, Mrs. Ling founded the Senior Citizens Guild in 1956 and served for many years as its executive director.

She served as administrator and supervisor of the Lurie Terrace housing project Tor senior citizens at 600 W. Huron which was started in 1963 to provide housing for elderly persons at a price they could afford.

She had been active in recent years with the People-to-People program.

Mrs. Ling was the author of the books “Family Life Reader,” “Family Life Arithmetic,” “CCC Work Book,” “Army Life Reader,” and a number of magazine articles. In 1967, she was selected for inclusion in the book “Outstanding Civic Leaders of America.”

She was a candidate for the Ann Arbor City Council on the Democratic ticket in 1961.

She was awarded the Michigan Commission on Aging Certificate of Merit in 1964, the University of Michigan Conference on Aging Citation in 1965, General Electric’s Builder of the Week Award in 1965, the Senior Citizens Guild Award in 1966, the Outstanding Elderly Housing Award of the New York World’s Fair in 1965, the Ann Arbor Woman’s City Club Celebrity Award in 1966 and the Outstanding Civil Leaders in the United States Award in 1967.

Mrs. Ling was a fellow of the American Gerontological Society, a fellow of the American Public Health Association, a founding member of the Michigan Gerontological Society, past president of the Xi chapter and Pi Lambda Theta honorary societies for women in education, and national vice president from 1957-61.

She was president of the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Altrusa International, a women’s service club. She had served as director of social welfare for Jackson County, Fla., director of WPA literary projects in Florida, organizer of the first traveling library in Florida, education specialist for Wayne County, Washtenaw County Welfare Department supervisor and as a lecturer at the U-M.

Mrs. Ling was graduated from high school at the age of 14 and from the University of Texas in 1922 at the age of 18. She received her master of public health degree from the U-M in 1944, and later pursued graduate work in the University's School of Social Work in the field of community organization.

She was born on Feb. 3, 1905, in Houston, Tex., a daughter of Bernard and Anna Przzan Lurie, for whom Ann Arbor Lurie Terrace is named.

She and Daniel S. Ling, U-M professor of civil engineering and consulting engineer to Wayne State University, were married on Nov. 24, 1923. He survives.

Survivors, in addition to her husband, include a son, Daniel Jr. of Lawrence, Kan., a daughter, Mrs. Joanne Moot who is associated with the U.S. State Department service in Katamandu, Nepal; two grandchildren, Debra and David Ling; four brothers, I. M. Lurie, M. H. Lurie, Benjamin Lurie and J. B. Lurie, all of Houston, Tex.; two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Moser of Houston and Mrs. Josephine Jessup of Nashville, Tenn.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Colin Campbell Jr., rector, officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Senior Citizens Guild of Ann Arbor or to St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church.