Ruby Chow

Ruby Chow (June 6, 1920 – June 4, 2008; Chinese: 周馬雙金; Jyutping: zau1 maa5 soeng1 gam1; pinyin: Zhōu Mǎ Shuāngjīn) was a Chinese American restaurateur and politician in Seattle, Washington.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Chow.
Ruby Chow
Chair of the King County Council
In office
January 1, 1979 – January 1, 1982
Preceded byBernice Stern
Succeeded byLois North
Member of the King County Council
from the 5th district
In office
January 1, 1974 – January 1, 1986
Preceded byJohn T. O'Brien
Succeeded byRon Sims
Personal details
Born
Mar Seung-gum (Surname = Mar)

(1920-06-06)June 6, 1920
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
DiedJune 4, 2008(2008-06-04) (aged 87)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
SpouseEdward Shui "Ping" Chow
Children5
Edward Chow Jr
Shelton Chow
Cheryl Chow
Brien Chow
Mark Chow
Occupation
  • Politician
  • restaurateur

Early life

On June 6, 1920 Chow was born on a fishing dock[1] in Seattle, Washington. Her given name was Mar Seung-gum. Chow's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mar, were Chinese immigrants.[2] Chow was a teenager during the depths of the Great Depression, which caused her to drop out of high school and start waiting tables for two dollars a day.[1]

Career

She and her second husband opened Ruby Chow's restaurant in 1948 at 1122 Jefferson Street (at the corner of Broadway & Jefferson) in Seattle's First Hill neighborhood. It was the first Chinese restaurant outside of Seattle's Chinatown. She rented the attic of the restaurant to Bruce Lee.[3] Chow leveraged her resources as a restaurant owner and community organizer to help get Wing Luke elected to the Seattle City Council in 1962 by having all the Chinese restaurants print "It's wise to vote for Wing Luke" as their fortune cookie fortunes.[1]

Her political career started in 1973 when she decided to run for King County Council as a Democrat. She had an encounter with Ted Bundy (later known to be a serial killer) who, as a GOP campaign worker, tried to convince Chow, unsuccessfully, to go Republican. Chow stayed with the Democratic Party and served three terms as a King County councilwoman in Washington. She was the first Asian American elected to King County Council.[4]

The county council named Ruby Chow Park, at the corner of S. Albro Place and 13th Avenue S. near Boeing Field, after Chow in 1985.[5][6]

Personal life

Chow had two sons with her first husband. Her second husband was Edward Shui "Ping" Chow (November 5, 1916 - June 29, 2011), who received U.S. citizenship after he was discharged from United States Army. Chow had five children. Chow's children are Edward Chow Jr, Shelton Chow, Cheryl Chow, Brien Chow, and Mark Chow.[7]

Chow's daughter, Cheryl Chow, served as a member of the Seattle City Council from 1990 to 1997.[8] Chow's son, Mark Chow, is a judge in King County District Court in Washington. He is the first Asian-American in the State of Washington to win election as a judge.[9][10]

Chow's niece, Angie Mar, is the chef/owner of The Beatrice Inn in Manhattan's West Village.[11]

Death

Chow died in 2008, two days before her 88th birthday, from heart failure in Seattle, Washington. Chow was survived by her five children and her husband, Edward Shui "Ping" Chow.[12][13][14]

References
  1. "Meet the Women Who Fought for Their Place in Seattle Politics". Seattle Met. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  2. Valdes, Manuel. June 8, 2008. Ruby Chow, Seattle's Chinese-American matriarch, dies"spokesman.com The Spokesman Review". Retrieved Nov 23, 2016.
  3. 周露比與李小龍 Ruby Chow & Bruce Lee | 乜乜棠水舖, retrieved 2022-04-17
  4. Chesley, Frank (2007-01-18). "Chow, Ruby (1920-2008)". HistoryLink. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
  5. Council expresses condolences on the passing of former King County Councilmember Ruby Chow, kingcounty.gov; accessed October 19, 2014.
  6. Eskenazi, Stuart (2008-06-05). "Ruby Chow, first Asian American on King County Council, dead at 87". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
  7. "Legacy.com Edward Shui "Ping" Chow". Retrieved Nov 23, 2016.
  8. "Cheryl Chow comes out while dying of brain cancer". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  9. "Judge Mark Chow, West Division kingcounty.gov". Retrieved Dec 30, 2016.
  10. "Meet Judge Mark Chow judgemarkchow.com". Retrieved Dec 30, 2016.
  11. "Angie Mar's Menu: Red Meat and Respect". Retrieved Jan 9, 2018.
  12. Obituary, seattle.gov; accessed October 19, 2014.
  13. Lau, Betty (2008-06-14). "A remembrance of Ruby Chow's extraordinary life". Northwest Asian Weekly. Archived from the original on 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  14. Wong, Brad (2008-06-11). "Hundreds pay final respects to Ruby Chow". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
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