My father was an itinerant farmer, just like the Mexicans. My mother came as a picture bride in March 1916, and nine months later, my sister, Helen, was born in Sacramento.

Because my father was a farm worker, all of us were born in different towns, all about a year apart: Helen in 1916, Peter in 1918 in Tracy, and me in Manteca in 1919.

I vaguely remember our home in Manteca. We had quite a few rooms with a rather large room where we congregated. That was the kitchen. There were six of us. We were all so close in age and rascals as well. My mother was highly nervous. After me, Richard was born in Maxwell, Paul in Sacramento, and Johnny was born in some other town.

My father worked in the rice fields. My mother stayed home, but sometimes she found work in a cannery when the season was open.

My mother was a very hard-working woman, always knitting or sewing clothes for us, trying to keep us fed and clothed.

They moved to San Francisco and went into the restaurant business. At that time I was around 8 years old. They must have saved their money. There were years when there was a good crop. I remember when we were in Stockton, we had a car. My mother drove. That was a good year, and my father must have had a lot of money.

Ruth Whang with (from left to right) daughters Gail and Denise, husband Paul and son Ron.

Our restaurant, the Star Lunch at 605 Jackson St. in Chinatown, had a long counter with 13 stools. We all had to work there. I was 9 years old then. We washed dishes, peeled tomatoes and onions. We served American food.

In the morning, we served donuts and coffee and ham and eggs. The customers were mostly Chinese, Filipino and Hawaiian workers. Lunch was rice and beef stew or sometimes lamb curry. Sometimes mackerel or pigs feet. Dinner was bread and butter and a bowl of soup for 25 cents.

In the morning, one of us went with my father at 6 a.m. to get the coffee started. My mother would come down at 10 o’clock. All of us — Helen, Peter, Richard and I — worked at the restaurant. I washed the dishes and served food. I had to slice the butter. My brothers and sister did the same thing. I went early in the morning. Then my brother would work in the afternoon for a short while and the others in the family would work in the evening and close up at 8 p.m.

I worked from 6 to 8 in the morning, and then I went to school. We all had shifts. My father did all the cooking. Mother served and was the cashier.

Ruth and Paul Whang.

I worked at Star Lunch until I went to high school. 

After high school I attended beauty school because my mother said I should have my own business in order to survive in this country. She told me never to become a nurse because it was a dirty job. Her advice to me: Go into business and be your own boss. I was 19. My mother opened up a beauty shop for Helen and me on Mason and Jackson Streets. A shampoo and set cost 50 cents. My sister and I worked there. Business was slow at first. I didn’t run it too long because I got married and Helen took over.