Virginia Elaine Hamori-Ota

We are sad to announce the passing of our beloved family member, Virginia Hamori-Ota. Virginia was born on May 1, 1959 to Jean and Paul Hamori, was baptized at the St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, and died on June 12, 2018 at the age of 59.

Virginia spent her childhood days in Muncie, Indiana, growing up alongside her three brothers Paul, George, and Charles Hamori. She earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in French Language and Linguistics from the University of Indiana. She later moved to France and taught in the French University system and served as Director of the American Language Institute at the American University of Paris.

Virginia met Hiromichi Ota in Paris in the fall of 1990. They got married on September 4, 1993 at the St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Tokyo, Japan. While in Japan, she taught at Gakushuin University and Rikkyo University before serving as Director of Marketing and Recruiting at Temple University in Japan. She served Emperor and Empress of Japan as a judge for H.I.H Prince Takamatsu Trophy All Japan Inter-Middle School English Oratorical Contest, which was commended by global leaders including several Presidents of the United States.

In 2000, Virginia and her family moved back to the U.S. where she began her Ph.D. in Higher Education at the University of Michigan. Since the completion of her Ph.D. in 2006, she has held multiple positions at the University of Michigan, including her most recent position, Instructional Designer at Integrative Systems + Design within the College of Engineering. Virginia was always passionate about her work and committed to continuously improving the educational experience of others.

In her free time, Virginia loved to play tennis, gathered with friends over tasty food and wine, and spent time with her family. She also loved to host grand dinner parties, where she was often the energy of the night.

Virginia will forever be remembered by her husband, Hiromichi, her two children, Michiko and Akihiro, her three brothers, her extended family members in the U.S., Japan, Hungary, and France, and her many friends whom she so greatly impacted during her life. She will rest in peace at the Our Lady of Peace Catholic Cemetery in Indiana, where her parents also rest.

A memorial service for Virginia will be held on Saturday June 23 at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Ann Arbor. Memorial donations in Virginia’s memory could also be made to the Church.