By Ron Chew
NAP Contributor
Ruby Luke, sister of the late political and cultural pioneer Wing Luke of Seattle, Washington, passed away on September 8 at the age of 91.
The late Ruby Luke, one of Wing Luke’s sisters, cheerfully escorts Ron Chew, former Executive Director of the Wing Luke Museum, into the new museum facility, 2008.
The lifelong Seattleite, known for her love of dance and bright sequined outfits, had been in failing health in recent years. She finally succumbed to heart and liver failure, with daughter Cynthia del Rosario at her side during her final moments.
During Wing Luke Museum’s ambitious $23 million capital campaign to convert the historic East Kong Yick building into its new home, Ruby Luke and sisters Bettie Luke and Marguerite Young teamed up to raise $100,000 to support the construction. They each contributed money and spurred members of the Luke Family Association to join them.
Luke was born July 16, 1934. She graduated from Garfield High School and the University of Washington. She worked for 35 years as a technical illustrator at Boeing, retiring in 1992. She was the third of six siblings: Wing, Constance, Bob, Marguerite and Bettie.
Daughter Cynthia del Rosario described her mom as having “a strong sense of self.”
“She was fun, glowing and vibrant,” del Rosario said. “What I valued when I was growing up was how incredibly open-minded she was toward others. Even when I was young, I could see it, and I appreciated it. This was really in stark contrast to everyone else.”
Luke was an original member of the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team. Luke’s passion was dance: folk dance, square dancing, country-western and line dancing. She was a perennial presence at Chinese community events in Seattle, especially those hosted by the Wing Luke Museum. “She loved dance,” said nephew Mike Kan. “Many years ago, she cheerfully told me she recently had open heart surgery — ‘cracked my chest open like I was a chicken’ and as soon as she could, she went dancing. But since surgery sliced her chest muscles up, her arm could not be raised to ‘spin’ her so she pointed her fingers up the best she could and spun around.” Kan added that his aunt was proud that she had been part of the girls drill team since its inception. “She loved choreographed movement,” he said.
Ruby Luke is survived by her sister Bettie Luke (son Mike Kan and daughter Linda Kan); daughter Cynthia del Rosario (spouse Adrian Laigo); granddaughter, Pauletta Denning; and great-granddaughter Kalaya Denning Srisuthiamourn. She was preceded in death by brothers, Wing Luke and Bob Luke; and sisters, Constance Wohl and Marguerite Young; and daughter, Tira.
Memorial gifts can be directed to the Wing Luke Museum and Rain Country Dance Association. The family will organize a celebration of life in the future.
