Ruby was the eldest child of Tom "Jiuji" and Connie "Kuniko" (Takaki) Kumasaka born in Tacoma, WA.  She was followed by Glen "Hisachi," Reiko, and Hiroshi.  Her parents encouraged all the children to study even as the extended family opened several businesses as they began to build their American Dream.  One of the employees at their hotel in Tacoma, WA, Sweny Smith, became almost a member of the family.  When he died in 1934, he left his entire estate, no one knew he had so much, worth $20,000, to Ruby and Glen, aged 7 and 5.  Even though World War II was to change the Kumasaka family's life forever, this legacy enabled both young people to continue their studies after 1945.
In 1942, Ruby and her family were interned at Tule Lake Relocation Center in Newell, CA.  Ruby graduated from Tri-State High School at Tule Lake.  After the War, the family relocated to Rochester, NY, where Ruby attended the Eastman School of Music and studied voice.  She spent a summer at Middlebury College studying Italian in their immersion program.  Ruby received her B.A. degree in French and Italian languages from the University of Rochester in 1951.  She returned to the West Coast for graduate studies at the University of Washington in Seattle.  Although she never went on to sing professionally, she retained her beautiful voice.
At school in Seattle she met Harold T. Noji.  The couple was married in December 1953, and settled in Los Angeles, CA.  To this union were born three children, Eric, Greg, and Cathy.  Much fun was had, under Ruby's watchful eye, when cousins came to visit.  In 1969, the family moved to Portland, OR.  Ruby and Harold were returning "home," at least to the Pacific Northwest. The children excelled in school while Ruby pursued a career in teaching children with special needs.
In recent years, Ruby and Harold moved to Glenview, IL, to be near daughter Cathy and her family.  Although Ruby suffered with Alzheimer's disease for many years, she remained remarkably physically fit until the end.  She continued to smile and her gentle kindness was always evident.