Warren resident will honor parents with ofrenda at the DIA

WARREN/DETROIT — When Ruffy B. Lim thinks about his parents, Rufino and Lordenita Lim, so many memories come to mind.

“They were both very generous with their time and resources,” Lim said. “They were the unofficial patriarch and matriarch of the family. They sponsored my nephews and nieces to go through school. They did it out of love.”

He becomes emotional when speaking about them. His father, Rufino Lim, a U.S. Navy veteran, died in 1989. Lim’s mother, Lordenita Lim, died in 2024.

Lim, of Warren, will pay tribute to his parents over the next several weeks at the Detroit Institute of the Arts. Lim has been chosen to display an altar in the DIA’s 13th Annual Ofrendas: Celebrating el Dia de Muertos. The ofrendas (altars) will be showcased at select locations on all three floors of the museum from Sept. 27 through Nov. 2. A total of 12 ofrendas will be exhibited by various artists from across Michigan, Los Angeles and Mexico City.

Día de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — is generally celebrated in Mexico, with variations observed in other Latin American countries and different parts of the world. The holiday celebrates the lives of the departed through decorative altars of sugar skulls, candles, water, bright-colored tissue paper, flowers and photos.

People also remember their loved ones with their mementos that include favorite recipes, books, clothing, stuffed animals, dolls, instruments and Christmas lights. The ofrendas are displayed Nov. 1-2 — and sometimes Oct. 31 — and coincide with the Catholic observances of All Saints Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls Day on Nov. 2.

“We are proud to present the 13th annual Ofrendas exhibition in collaboration with our community partners – the Mexican Consulate of Detroit, the Southwest Detroit Business Association and the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation,” Julie McFarland, DIA executive director of public affairs & community engagement, said in a prepared statement. “This year, we’re offering our community a new way to experience the exhibition. We hope that while exploring the museum to discover each ofrenda, visitors will engage with the richness of our galleries and connect with the art in new and meaningful ways.”

Lim’s altar is titled “Mementos: Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother.” This is the first time he will display a Day of the Dead altar at the DIA.

“I’m very, very excited. I’m creating something positive and honoring both of their memories in the process,” said Lim, a Detroit Public Schools art teacher. “I hope it translates like that.”

Rufino and Lordenita were both born in the Philippines, as was Lim. Rufino renounced his Filipino citizenship to become a U.S. citizen so he could serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Lim is on the hunt for a U.S. Navy cap to place on the DIA altar.

“My mother was a dress maker throughout her lifetime,” Lim said. “I always see her sewing things.”

That included a button-down polo shirt she made for him from a sketch he designed. If he finds it, he’s going to add that to the display.

Although he lives an ocean away, Lim kept in touch with his parents overseas. Every year on his birthday, Lim called his mom twice “because of the 12-hour time difference.” On Lim’s last birthday in August, he had a dream about his parents. His mother was seated on a piece of furniture.

“My father was standing not saying anything,” Lim said. “Both were smiling. They were kind of like greeting me with a happy birthday in their own way.”

Their wedding was the inspiration for his ofrenda. One piece will include a replica of Lordenita’s wedding bouquet with the native flower of the Philippines known as the sameaguita. Other keepsakes will adorn the altar.

“Traditionally ofrendas are very, very colorful,” Lim said. “This is white.”

The DIA is located at 5200 Woodward Ave. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. General admission is free for Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb County residents. For more information go to dia.org or call (313) 833-7900.