Ruth Law Tak Lee Tam

Born April 24, 1930 in Foshan, China. Passed away on November 18, 2024 in Vancouver, BC, Canada at the age of 94. She is predeceased by her husband Eugene Yan Tam in 2007. She is lovingly survived by her brother Enoch Lee (Wendy) of Los Angeles, nephews and nieces: Calvin Lee, Clement Lee, Melanie Lee, Miranda Shen (sons and daughters of Enoch and Wendy Lee), Minnie Lee, Caleb Lee (daughter and son of the late Eric Lee) and Walter Cheung (son of the late Stephen and the late Rosalind Cheung).

Ruth grew up in Hong Kong. She started her secondary school years at St. Paul’s Girls’ College run by the Anglican Church. During WWII, the Church amalgamated St. Paul’s Boys’ College into the Girls’ College to become St. Paul’s Co-educational College (SPCC), the first co-educational school in Hong Kong. Ruth graduated in 1949 and was amongst the first batch of co-educational school graduates in the city. She later entered the University of Hong Kong, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree and a Diploma in Education Studies.

Upon graduation from university in 1955, Ruth was offered a teaching job in Biology at both SPCC and Maryknoll School. She accepted Maryknoll’s offer as the school was in urgent need of a teacher to fill a vacancy. She started teaching at SPCC in 1956, beginning a teaching career spanning 34 years during which she taught generations of students, including many future physicians and scientists. Ruth was a well-loved teacher; to her students, she was extraordinarily kind, and always supportive and encouraging.

Ruth retired in 1990 and came to Canada in 1991. She continued her close association with the school through the BC Chapter of the alumni association. She regularly attended their events, and enjoyed their choir performances at Crofton Manor, the home where she resided in the last 10 years of her life.

Ruth had a deep faith in God. In a video clip taken just a few months prior to her passing, she urged her students to always remember the SPCC school emblem and motto “Faith, Hope, Love”, which guided her throughout her life.

A funeral service will take place on January 11, 2025 at 10:00 am at the Mount Pleasant Universal Funeral Home (306 East 11th Avenue, Vancouver). A reception will be held immediately following the funeral service at the Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant (3888 Main Street, Vancouver). If you would like to attend the funeral service / reception, please kindly fill out this form: https://forms.gle/XgsDUZU7iGroL1Eg9

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Ruth’s memory to the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation (855 W 12th Ave #190, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1M9).

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