Howard Ruby, ‘Father of Corporate Housing’ and Husband of Yvette Mimieux, Dies at 90

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On Monday, Howard Ruby, creator of Oakwood Worldwide – a business offering fully-furnished accommodations for long-term stays – passed away at the age of 90 in Los Angeles. The news was made public by his representative, following his death from natural causes. Ruby was also married to the late actress Yvette Mimieux.

Ruby was wed to Mimieux, famously appearing in films like “Where the Boys Are”, “Light in the Piazza”, “Jackson County Jail” and “Toys in the Attic”, from December 1986 until her passing in January 2022 at the age of 80.

Or, in a more conversational tone:

Ruby got hitched to Mimieux, who starred in movies such as “Where the Boys Are”, “Light in the Piazza”, “Jackson County Jail” and “Toys in the Attic”. Their union lasted from December 1986 until January 2022, when she passed away at the age of 80.

Mimieux was wedded to the director of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, Stanley Donen, between 1972 and their separation by divorce in 1985.

Ruby hails from Cleveland and was born on March 28, 1935. He later graduated from the Wharton School of Business. Following this, he served in the U.S. Navy as a supply officer. Upon completing his service, he established a real estate partnership in California, which eventually culminated in the creation of R&B Realty Group in 1960.

1965 saw the establishment of South Bay Club in Marina del Rey by R&B, marking the debut of fully-furnished apartments designed for single occupants. By the 1970s, these accommodations had expanded to include household essentials and cleaning services. This innovative idea flourished globally, with the company eventually expanding to operate in over 50 U.S. states and 86 countries, ultimately becoming the world’s leading provider of furnished apartments.

In 2014, Fortune magazine referred to him as the pioneer of Corporate Housing (and Oakwood was acquired by The Ascott Limited, a company based in Singapore, in 2022).

Despite having retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary, progressive eye condition that significantly affects vision, Ruby remained passionately engaged in photography, embarking on many expeditions to the Arctic where she captured stunning images of polar bears and their offspring.

He felt inspired to establish the Children’s Climate Classroom website, eventually teaming up with the National Wildlife Federation to design an instructional outreach initiative. This partnership utilized his images of melting ice and endangered wildlife to highlight the dangers of climate change.

Ruby, who generously contributed photographs to both Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and the University of California Santa Barbara School of Environmental Sciences, was awarded the title of 2007 Conservation Photographer of the Year by the National Wildlife Federation.

As a passionate gamer, I’ve always believed in giving back, and that includes supporting groundbreaking research. So, I made a generous donation to the University of Iowa Institute for Vision Research, aiming to speed up their work on growing living retinal grafts from patients’ own stem cells. This could potentially transform lives forever!

Over time, as Ruby’s retinitis pigmentosa worsened, she took up rowing and participated in various competitions well into her eighties.

Or, more casually:

Despite the advance of his retinitis pigmentosa, Ruby picked up rowing and even competed in races until she was in her late 80s.

As a gamer, I’m fortunate to have a family that mirrors my gaming clan: my offspring, Steven, Michael, and Donna; twelve little warriors who remind me of the NPCs in my favorite games; and three tiny sprouts, my great-grandchildren, who bring fresh energy to our dynasty.

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2025-05-03 00:54