Cheryl Chow

Chow was born in Seattle, Washington on May 24, 1946. Chow's father was Edward Shui "Ping" Chow (November 5, 1916 - June 29, 2011), who received U.S. Citizenship after he was discharged from United States Army. Chow's mother was Ruby Chow, who served as a King County Councilwoman, the first Asian American elected to that council.

Chow's maternal grandparents were Chinese immigrants who had come to the United States to work on the railroad lines.[1]

Chow's parents were also restaurant owners of the famous Ruby Chow's restaurant, where Bruce Lee once worked.[2]

Chow graduated from Franklin High School and then attended Western Washington University.

Chow was a teacher at Hamilton International Middle School, a public school in the Seattle School District. Chow was a principal of Sharples Junior High School (now Aki Kurose Middle School Academy).[3]

Besides being a teacher and principal, Chow also coached girls' basketball for the city parks and recreation department.

From 1990–97, she served on the Seattle City Council. Chow also served on the Seattle School Board and was president of the school board.[4]

After 1997, Chow was a principal of her alma mater Franklin High School and of Garfield High School.[3]

In 2005, Chow was elected to the Seattle School Board during a time where the district saw increasing school closures and instability.[3]

Cheryl Chow, September 2012, about 6 months before her death

Chow came out as lesbian in August 2012. On March 16, 2013, less than two weeks before her death, Chow married her partner, Sarah Morningstar. Together, they have a daughter, Liliana Morningstar-Chow.[3]