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East Asian Studies is a closely coordinated, interdepartmental program representing seven departments and eight disciplines. It offers some fifty courses, ranging from art to economics, culminating in a minor that may be focused upon either China or Japan. Interested students are encouraged to study abroad in East Asia.
To the East Asian Studies Community,
By now I am sure you have all received President Ruscio's announcement concerning Joan O'Mara. As EAS Director and on behalf of the faculty, students and staff of the East Asian Studies Program I would like to join him in expressing our condolences to Joan's family, friends and colleagues. I am sure that we all keenly feel the suddenness and depth of this loss of someone I have considered a valued adviser and supportive senior colleague.
I won't recapitulate Joan's roll of accomplishments, but I would like to add one to President Ruscio's long list. I will never forget Joan's dignified response to her terminal illness, something that so many of us were able to witness because it expressed itself as her continuing active, public participation as a Washington and Lee professor. The serene character she showed under pressures most of us can only imagine has left me with a profound example to emulate. And I am sure her lesson for me is only one legacy of many she leaves behind.
David A. Bello
Director of East Asian Studies
Associate Professor of East Asian History
To ASIANetwork:
Joan O'Mara's battle with pancreatic cancer came to its conclusion yesterday morning. She had gone to the office briefly on Friday, and was comparatively well on Saturday, eating breakfast, lunch, a snack and a light dinner, and then sleeping well. On Sunday morning she awoke at 7 pm with her husband Phil and her daughter Kaitlin to help her sit up. But at 7:15 pm she felt really ill, and she had passed away by 7:30 pm. While her health deteriorated during the previous week, she had been determined to make it through her daughter's wedding on the 30th. Determination was not enough.
I saw Phil this morning at the coffee shop; he seems to be doing as well as can be expected. It helped that on Saturday they had sat down with hospice; Joan had already picked the scripture readings for her funeral, and similar details (such as the soloist) were fixed. Kaitlin's fiance and their son Philip will both be here later today.
There will be a wake at a local funeral home Wednesday [Harrison's, 5:00-7:00], with the funeral at the Catholic church sometime Thursday.
For Joan, the past month saw several meaningful events and celebrations. The commendation from ASIANetwork was conveyed to her in front of deans duly assembled, plus colleagues and students. It and her publications are in a display case in the art department building.
She also was named the Elizabeth Lewis Otey Professor of East Asian Studies, an honor she appreciated. She continued to teach, though she missed several class sessions (and there is one week remaining in the term).
The highlight of this spring term was the visit by Richard Bresnahan of St. John's College, who gave a wonderful lecture on May 13th, and a selection of whose work remains on display in our fine arts building. Joan not only was able to spend the day with him and listen to his well-attended lecture, but also went out for dinner, though she felt ill -- not because of health, but because she had such a wonderful time that she over-ate, including mounds of strawberry shortcake.
She did her best not to let her health get in the way of doing what mattered, and succeeded in a manner that, well, was in character.
Mike Smitka
I regret to tell you that our friend and colleague Joan O'Mara, associate professor of art history at Washington and Lee, died this morning (Sunday, May 24).
Joan was the Elizabeth Lewis Otey Professor of East Asian Studies and former director of W&L's East Asian Studies Program. She joined the faculty in 1989. She held a B.A. from Carleton College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
She taught the history of Japanese art, the history of Chinese art, Asian art history and Western art history. Her areas of research included the Japanese tea ceremony; relationships between the Japanese print and 19th-century European art; and relationships between words and images in Japanese art.
Joan was active in ASIANetwork, a national consortium of undergraduate liberal arts institutions with Asian studies programs. She served as vice chair from 2003-2004, chair from 2004-2005 and ex-officio board chair from 2005-2006. She also belonged to the Japan Art History Forum; the Society for Values in Higher Education, where she was elected a fellow; and the Association for Asian Studies, among other organizations.
She wrote many publications, including book chapters, reviews and papers. Joan also was the editor of ASIANetwork's Exchange: A Journal for Asian Studies in the Liberal Arts, and the editor of W&L's East Asian Studies Newsletter from 1998-2005.
Kim and I send our deepest sympathies to Joan's husband, Philip, and their children, Philip and Kaitlin.
Arrangements have not yet been finalized but will be shared with the community when they are available.
EAS congratulates Joan O'Mara Associate Professor of Art History who has been named the Elizabeth Lewis Otey Professor of East Asian Studies. Professor O'Mara has been a member of the W&L faculty since 1989. The Otey professorship was established in 1994 through the estate of Elizabeth Otey Watson.
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