Pioneer Leader & Bruce Lee's friend Ruby Chow Dies in Seattle

Ruby Chow, pioneer leader and matriarch to Seattle's Chinese community has died.

Mrs. Chow, 87, the eldest in a family of ten children, broke through many glass ceilings in politics, business, and community affairs.

Among her many achievements, Chow served three terms as the first Asian American King County councilwoman, and the first woman member of the Chinese immigrant advocacy organization, International Chong Wah Benevolent Association, and founder in 1952 of the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team.

Chow and her husband, Ping, 92, opened Ruby Chow's restaurant in 1948, the first Chinese restaurant outside of Seattle's Chinatown.

Bruce Lee, the late martial arts legend will forever be intertwined with the colorful life of Ruby Chow.

He was a family friend. Early in his career, Lee lived in Chow's restaurant's attic room while working as a waiter, and demonstrated martial arts in the parking lot.

Ruby Chow - Chow Mah Serng Gum died of congestive heart failure the morning of June 4th, 2008 surrounded by her husband Ping, of nearly 70 years, five children, two brothers, one sister, six grandsons, three granddaughters and three great grandsons.

Ruby Chow was a pioneer leader and matriarch to Seattle's Chinese community.

Mrs. Chow, 87, the eldest in a family of ten children, broke through many glass ceilings in politics, business, and community affairs.

Among her many achievements, Chow served three terms as the first Asian American King County councilwoman, and the first woman member of the Chinese immigrant advocacy organization, International Chong Wah Benevolent Association.

She also founded in 1952 the Chinese Community Girls Drill Team which has performed worldwide for generations.

Chow and her husband, Ping, 92, opened Ruby Chow's restaurant in 1948, the first Chinese restaurant outside of Seattle's Chinatown.

Bruce Lee, the late martial arts legend will forever be intertwined with the colorful life of Ruby Chow.

Lee was a family friend. Early in his career, Lee lived in Chow's restaurant's attic room while working as a waiter, and demonstrated martial arts in the parking lot.

Click here to the Seattle Chat Club website for images of Ruby Chow's Restaurant and Bruce Lee demonstrating martial arts in the parking lot. Photos were taken by James DeMile, one of Bruce Lee's first students.

At her last public appearance last September, at a fund raiser for the new Wing Luke Asian Museum building, her "favorite (and only) daughter" Cheryl read the following for her:

"Thank you. Special thanks to my friend Faith Ireland for reasons that take too long to tell, like all long time friendships.

But I want say I'm happy be your friend, in public, on the street, any place, any time.

Standing up here, among the most prominent citizens of Seattle in the city where the Asians have shone the brightest stars in American politics, entertainment, industry and restaurants I only wish my mother were here to see the company I'm in.

Chinese restaurants were --- to be honest --- considered dumps when my mother raised ten children all by herself, in the back room of a Chinatown store.
And sliding down the banister of our building, head first, I realized I wasn't the brightest of mother's ten children.

But I was the fastest. I crashed into the marble floor with my eyes open, and I saw stars.

I saw Seattle's Keye Luke become a Hollywood pioneer. Wing Luke become the first Chinese to be elected to office, in America, in 1957.

I saw Warren Chan fight newspaper prejudice with dignity and become a distinguished judge of the King County Superior Court.

I saw Chinese restaurants rise from slophouses to places of Motherlode's haute cuisine.

I saw Asians rise from copy boys to reporters and anchors on Seattle and the nation's media.

I saw the creation of the Chinese Girl's drill team, with their own 125 foot long dragon appear in celebrations and parades around the world bearing Seattle's name.
I saw the town erect the beautiful Wing Luke Asian Museum to tell our history. (Your name won't be forgotten, Mom.)

And I saw Seattle's political stars rise to the highest office in Washington State, with the election of Gary Locke, to Governor.

And the end isn't in sight.

My mother revived me, and I told I had seen stars. Real stars.

And she said something very wise. "You would have seen as many stars if you had come down the banister the other end first."

I have been up and down many banisters, both ends first, and, you were right Mom.

I wish you could see me, now, married to Ping who gave up opera stardom to raise your five grandchildren and cook in my restaurant.

The least I could do was take his nameJarand take it to the highest banister.

We'll take this one together, Ping.

Thank you, for this evening.

Thank you all for 80 years of Chinatown. Thank you."

Mrs. Chow is survived by her husband Ping, 92, five children: Edward Jr., of Washington, D.C.; Shelton, of Seattle; Cheryl, of Seattle; Brien, of Renton; and Mark, of Seattle; brothers William Sing Mar, of the Eastside, and Roy Sing Mar, of Seattle; sister Mary Mar Pang, of the Eastside; six grandsons, three granddaughters and three great-grandsons.

A public memorial service will be held at noon Wednesday at Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., Seattle.

Memorials to Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team, P.O. Box 28832, Seattle 98118.

RESOURCES:

The Seattle Times newspaper article by staff reporter Stuart Eskenazi.

Seattle Chat Club website features stories about Bruce Lee and Ruby Chow's Restaurant.

AC Team wishes to thank Frank Chin and Christopher Chow for providing resources for this article.