Ruby Ip

Ms. Ruby Ip was born on August 21, 1929, to a middle-class family in Hong Kong. Her father, Mr. Siu Ying Ling, had four wives. Mrs. Bo Hing Hui Ling, was the first wife, and Ruby’s mother. Ruby had two older brothers, and an older sister, who died at a young age due to sickness. Ruby also had 10 other younger half siblings from her father’s other wives.

WWII robbed her the opportunity to pursue secondary education. She had to work to help her family make ends meet. After the war, she graduated from sewing school. It quickly became her favorite hobby and she made most of her own clothes and even some for her siblings.

In 1955, she married Mr. John Ip and gave birth to their first child, Paul, a year later. Subsequently, her second and third child, Margaret and Dominic, were born.

During her married life, she focused on raising and caring for her three children in Hong Kong. She maintained a very close relationship with her parents and siblings. Besides sewing, she loved to play mahjong with her parents and other siblings during family gatherings.

In 1979, Ruby and John decided to immigrate to the United States. The family chose Portland as their new home because of a recommendation from their friend who had previously lived there. Despite Ruby’s limited education, she was a strong and very capable woman. She handled essentially everything about the move to the U.S., with little help from her children – from the transportation of household items to the purchase of their new home.

In 1992, after 37 years of marriage, Ruby and John filed for divorce. She decided to stay in Portland with her children. After her divorce, Ruby lived a much happier and independent life. She built her own home next to Paul’s in Gresham until 1994 when Paul moved to a new house in Clackamas. Ruby ended up moving in with Paul and his wife, Lucy, so they could better care for her. In 2005, she moved to New York, staying with Margaret, Clive and Rachel's home until 2010. She then moved back to Paul and Lucy's home in Portland.

Ruby lived a very active lifestyle – playing weekly Mahjong games with friends, going to the senior citizen center, shopping at her favorite store – Forever 21, sewing clothes for herself and granddaughters, and helping care for Amanda and Alexis when they were young. Ruby also loved to drive and had been known for getting a speeding ticket or two at the age of 80!

Ruby passed away peacefully in her own home on November 1 at 94 years old, surrounded by her family. She is survived by her sons Paul and Dominic, daughter Margaret, daughter-in-law, Lucy, son-in-law, Clive, seven grandchildren – Amanda, Rachel, Alexis, Brice, Kyle, Erika, and Austin, and seven half-sisters and brothers.