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Ruby Yuk Lin Heu Choy, age 98, of Honolulu, Hawaii, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on September 6, 2020. Born on September 8, 1921, Ruby was the seventh of the thirteen children of Fook Sang and See Kyau Ling Heu. Ruby graduated from McKinley High School then attended nursing school at the UH. While there she met Kwai Lum Choy. They married in 1944 and were together for over 66 years until Kwai Lum passed away in 2011. Kwai Lum and Ruby had four children and Ruby concentrated on raising them as Kwai Lum was building his successful dental practice.
Ruby was very active for 42 years in the Women's Dental Auxillary, serving as their president in 1969. She also helped run the annual Hawaii Dental Association's convention and was honored for her significant contributions and service.
With Kwai Lum, she enjoyed travelling all over the world and especially looked forward to her trips to Las Vegas. She was a wonderful seamstress who sewed, knitted and crocheted many of her own clothes. She loved playing mahjong and enjoyed water aerobics classes at Manoa pool. Ruby was an avid bridge player, competing and winning on the national level to achieve silver Life Master status. She enjoyed the company and competition of playing weekly at Oahu and Waialae Country Clubs and missed it when she stopped driving at age 91. The computer opened up a whole new world for her as she learned to play interactive bridge, communicating with people around the world.
Ruby also loved to bake and cook and she often shared her delicious specialties with family and friends. An exciting 12 year cooking adventure began when she innocently walked into a live taping of Dick Allgire's Cook Healthy Fast on KITV. He recognized that she was a natural and invited her to join him on the weekly segment. The audience could always count on her honest opinion of the prepared dish. Her run on the show made Aunty Ruby a beloved TV celebrity, with people recognizing and coming up to her, even years after the show concluded.
Both Ruby and Kwai Lum adored their 7 grandchildren and supported and took pride in everything they did. She was especially overjoyed with the love and company of her 14 great grandchildren. The highlight of the year for all of them was the annual staycation that she so generously hosted in celebration of her birthday. There was nothing that brought her more happiness than seeing her family making so many wonderful memories together.
Ruby's vibrant and outgoing personality, her kindness, generosity and love for everyone will be remembered and dearly missed by family and friends.
She is survived by sons: Dr. Melvin (Vivian), Dr. Steven (Gail) and Russell; daughter Norene (Richard) Lum; grandchildren: Dr. Darrett Choy, Dr. Aaron (Christina) Choy, Kristen (Matt) Brummel, Dr. Andrew (Dr. Vanessa) Choy, Dr. Dariann (Kent) Fernandez, Dr. Austin (Dr. Amy) Choy, and Shayna (Ian) Robertson; great grandchildren: Kainalu, Daniel and Grace Brummel, Raiden, Camille and Ava Choy, Kyler and Renan Fernandez, Ryne and Keira Choy, Torin and Lia Choy, Mackenzie and Rylee Robertson; and sisters Cornelia Tahara, Marilyn Law, Sylvia Cruthers.
We were all so blessed to have her in our lives for almost 99 years. She was the heart and cornerstone of our family and she brightened our lives with her energy and spirit. She was deeply loved and will forever remain in our hearts.
Private services were held. No monetary offerings.
