Ning Rothman, 77, of Novi, Michigan, passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 9, 2024.

Born on May 4, 1947 in Shanghai to Mien Fang and Shih-Ching Fang, Ning moved to Taiwan as a toddler. She graduated from the First Girls’ High School and National Taiwan University before pursuing her Master's in linguistics at Ohio State University in the United States. During her distinguished career, Ning taught at Oakland University and Catholic Central High School. She was a member of various Chinese language professional organizations and was active in Wayne State University Confucian Institute activities. Ning was also a respected contributor to Chinese language newspapers, sharing her literary and linguistic expertise with the community.

Known for her unwavering devotion to family, fierce independence, and academic rigor, Ning's resilience shone through her life choices. She boldly moved to the U.S. alone, leaving her family in Taiwan, and later adeptly managed family life during her husband's frequent work travels. Her commitment to community service was exemplified by her volunteer work teaching English to elderly Chinese immigrants and providing translation services in hospitals. Ning was an active member of the Michigan Chinese Women's Association (MCWA) and the Association of Chinese Americans (ACA).

Ning's rich life experiences living in Taiwan, Singapore, the United States, Germany, and Switzerland cultivated in her a passion for cultural exchange. She consistently encouraged her Western students to embrace new cultures and perspectives and led a number of student trips to China. Beyond her professional pursuits, Ning harbored a lifelong love for classical music, participating in choirs throughout her life and embracing the challenge of piano lessons in her later years.

Ning is survived by her husband, Robert; children, Kevin (Maia Miller) and Kori (Christopher Clayson); grandchildren, Lily, June, Kai and Cayli; and brother, Steven Fang (Rita).

Ning will be laid to rest on Saturday, September 21st, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. in Oakland Hills Memorial Gardens, 43300 W. Twelve Mile Rd., Novi, Michigan 48377.

A reception and celebration of Ning's life will immediately follow at 12:15 p.m. at The Boathouse at Island Lake, 50444 Drakes Bay Dr., Novi, MI 48374.

If you have photos of Ning that you would like to share at the celebration, please forward them to betty@parachutes.com. Those unable to attend but wishing to share stories or memories are also encouraged to send them to this email address.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Ning Rothman Scholarship for Excellence in Language Arts. Administered through the Association of Chinese Americans, this scholarship will annually support two high school seniors demonstrating outstanding academic performance, leadership, and commitment to community service. Contributions can be made at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=4XBCNH9UUDTYU (please include "Ning Rothman Scholarship" in the Notes field).