[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 490]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO RUTH COLE-CHU

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 9, 2009

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of one of 
eastern Connecticut's most dynamic leaders, Ruth Cole-Chu of Salem, who 
passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2009.
  Ruth was born in Hweli, China where her parents were serving as 
Baptist Missionaries. After returning to the United States, Ruth 
attended Wheaton College in Illinois where she received her bachelor of 
arts in speech communications. She later attended Golden Gate 
University School of Law in San Francisco where she received her law 
degree.
  Ruth was a devoted wife, mother, and public servant. She was also an 
attorney and an education consultant. As an active member of her 
community, she participated in various local boards and commissions. 
She served 6 years as a member of the Board of Education, including a 
term as chairwoman, where she fought tirelessly to expand opportunities 
for the students of Salem. While she began her career as an attorney, 
it was as an advocate for children that Ruth truly made her mark.
  Ruth believed that school communities should be a place where 
children from all walks of life could grow and learn. She was an 
unwavering advocate for multiculturalism and diversity, and it was with 
that in mind that she founded the Inter-district School for Arts and 
Communications, the ISAAC Charter School. Since 1997, the ISAAC school 
has offered a unique educational experience for students in 
southeastern Connecticut where they can learn about the importance of 
diversity and the value of community service.
  Ruth's belief in compassion and open-mindedness is a message that she 
carried to all she met. It is a spirit that lives on in her own 
children, Emily, Hannah and Lily. While her compassion for all children 
marked her legacy, it was the love that she had for her own children 
that defined her life.
  We in eastern Connecticut are blessed to have had such a dedicated 
public servant and those of us who knew her are blessed to have had 
such a friend. We will take solace in her memory and the example that 
she set for thousands of young people across our State. To Lee, her 
beloved husband, and the entire Cole-Chu family, please know that our 
thoughts and prayers are with you.

                          ____________________