Ruth Lydia Chen

Ruth Lydia Chen (Aunt Lydia) went home to Heaven on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Lydia, daughter of Gladys Watson (deceased) and Albert Chen (deceased) was born in Dean Pen, St Mary, Jamaica on November 11, 1935. 

Lydia was single and enjoyed her family of brothers and sisters, many nieces and nephews and cousins. She spent several years in Jamaica working for Barclays Bank and her no-nonsense approach enabled her to rise through the ranks to upper managerial levels. During this time, she used her accounting skills to support her brother Ivan in his business and others who needed her assistance. Aunt Lydia was meticulous in her financial attention to detail and took copious notes in her record keeping. She emigrated to New York in the early 1980s and continued her career at Manufacturers Hanover Trust which underwent a series of acquisitions and is now a part of JP Morgan Chase. 

During her time in New York City, she would actively participate in many holiday feasts with her sister Edna, brothers George , Alfred and Oswald and their families, along with her close cousins who lived in the area. She often prepared her specialty dishes of Pork and Muknee and Dungoo Chicken. Another tradition she had was making Easter buns and sending them to family members. Aunt Lydia hardly verbalized it, but she cared deeply for her family and loved and admired her nieces and nephews as if they were her own children. There was always a warm heart beneath the façade of sternness. This manifested itself in the early years when she cared for her father Albert, when he was struck with cancer and later, her brother Alfred, when he too became terminally ill. 

Lydia retired in the late 1990s and subsequently moved to South Florida where she joined Edna in Miramar. Lydia and Edna both moved to Winston Trails in 2002 and regularly attended St Christopher’s Episcopal church until the later years when Lydia attended Sunday Service at St Joseph’s.

Aunt Lydia was able to travel extensively throughout the USA, Europe and Asia accompanied by family. Lydia was blessed and able to live a complete life. 

Lydia is survived by brothers Carl (Janet) and George (Sandra) and sisters-in-law Yee Lun and Sue Fong. She is also survived by the following nieces and nephews: Paul, Loriann, Patrick, Christopher, Wendy, Joan, Sharon, Sean, Basil, Angela, Lorna, Carolyn, Linda, Suzie, Jacky, Donna, Sue, Steve, and Lisa. She is also survived by many loving cousins and friends. 

She was predeceased by sisters Edna and Cecile, brothers Oswald, Ivan, Alfred and Cecil, sisters-in-law Leslyn and Joyce, brother-in-law Norman and nephew Michael. 

Memorial donations may be made to The Wounded Warrior Project http://www.operationwoundedwarriors.org/contact-us/ in Palm Beach gardens, FL or the American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/about-us/local/florida.html . 

Funeral Service will be at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church www.stjoesweb.org in Boynton Beach Florida on Saturday Jul 25 at 10:00 am (viewing at 9:30 am). 

The Service will also be livestreamed. 

CLICK HERE to watch on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StJoesBoynton 

CLICK HERE to watch on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8j9VOsTKV4VbJtlkjPSQw

Entombment will be at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery www.ourqueen.org in Royal Palm Beach following the Service 

A Repass and celebration of Lydia’s life will follow the Entombment.