Ruby Kathreen Tillie

complications sustained from a traumatic brain injury further exacerbated by COVID-19.

Ruby’s life could be described as nothing short of incredible. She was born August 23rd, 1936 in

Shanghai, China to Gwan Mei (Li) Huang and Shi Di Huang. After surviving the Japanese

occupation, at the age of 15 she fled Mao Communists and bravely moved to Hong Kong to join

her older sister Lucy. As a 19 year old, she became an airline stewardess for British Overseas

Airways Corporation in the first class of English-speaking Chinese women to hold that position.

In her travels as a stewardess, she met her future husband John William Tillie. Ruby and John

married in 1960 and moved to Williston Park, New York to raise their three sons. Ruby quickly

became known in the neighborhood for her fierce demanding parenting and exceptional

cooking. Teaching Continuing Adult Education Classes and local department store Chinese

Cooking demonstrations . In 1982, Ruby, John, and Adam moved to Virginia Beach, where she

was a fixture on the Church of the Holy Family staff and community. Never boastful about her

talents, Ruby also possessed a mastery of gourmet cooking, sketching, painting, pottery,

sculpting, sewing, and calligraphy. Even in retirement, she kept busy and continued to serve the

community. Ruby volunteered her time to the Harrison Opera House, Virginia Beach General

Hospital, and filled in part-time at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Gift Shop. She was an

active member of the Fun Lovers Club and traveled the world with her younger sister Anne.

To know Ruby was to truly know love; fanatically frugal, she made many unconditional sacrifices

to ensure that her family was taken care of and supported. As a grandmother and aunt, she was

even more doting. She was a beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend to many.

Ruby is survived by her three sons, John, James, and Adam; her sisters Lucy Armstrong and

Anne Koo; and her three granddaughters Caitlin, Sara, and Anne, two daughters-in-law Mary

Cae and Dawn and nieces and nephews Lin, Carol, Cissy, Carolyn, Steven, Geoffrey and Leia. .

She is preceded in death by her husband John, sister Bonnie Coble, and grandson John

Matthew.

A funeral mass will be held at a future date and time at Church of the Holy Family Catholic

Church 1279 N Great Neck Rd Virginia Beach, Virginia 23454. Ruby’s interment will be at

Princess Anne Memorial Park, 1110 N Great Neck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 soon

thereafter.

In lieu of flowers, which Ruby abhorred at funerals, donations in her name may be made to

Catholic Relief Services, 228 W. Lexington St. Baltimore, Maryland 21201-3443. (https://

support.crs.org/).