RUTH Y. KAN (Yen Yao-Ying) passed away at midday on August 18, 2020—days past her 68th birthday—after surviving 18 and a half years with breast cancer. Harnessing her Christian faith and inner strength, she fought an incredibly courageous battle, which included over a decade with metastasis.
Ruth was the beloved and devoted mother of Jennifer Kan, wife of Kenneth Kan, sister of Simon Yen, and daughter of the late Jin-Fang and Chih-Liang Yen. She also was a dear aunt, sister-in-law, godsister, and friend to many.
Ruth grew up in Taiwan and graduated with a biology degree from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. She worked as a medical technologist at Boston hospitals for decades, dedicating her career to improving patient health.
After residing in Lexington for more than 30 years, Ruth finally conquered her bucket list by finding a home by the ocean in Quincy. She enjoyed gardening and admired the beauty in flowers of all kinds, especially orchids.
Through her unconditional selflessness, Ruth touched and forever changed the lives of everyone she met. She deeply loved and cared for her family and friends, who always will remember her unparalleled concern for the well-being of others.
A memorial for Ruth Kan will be held on:
- Saturday, September 12, 2020
- 1-4pm open visiting hours, with service and eulogies approx. 2-3pm
- Beach in front of: 53 Post Island Road, Quincy, MA 02169
- Outdoors to enable safe distancing, but please wear masks
- All are welcome; RSVP to her daughter Jennifer if convenient
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Project (mbcproject.org), a research project in which she participated. It is stewarded by several organizations, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute. When contacting Dana-Farber at 617-632-2903 or [email protected] for further instructions, please designate your gifts specifically for “The Metastatic Breast Cancer Project, in memory of Ruth Kan.”
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