Choon Suh

Choon Hee Suh (née Park), a beloved wife of Jae Suh and mother of two loving children, Sang-Jin and Yang Hwa, passed away peacefully in her sleep on the morning of Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026. Choon was born on March 24, 1936 in Kanggye, Korea near the Chinese border to Mr. Park, Tae Gyu and Mrs. Yu, Sung Kyung. She was the eldest of seven children with three sisters and three brothers, one of whom passed as an infant. Being the eldest child of two educators, Choon had a lifelong belief in achieving academic excellence from an early age. Combined with her competitiveness, Choon became a strong independent person from an early age with personality traits that would be pivotal for her and family throughout her life. In 1945, with the invasion of Russians and the rumor of punishing the nobility, Choon’s family fled Kanggye into the present-day South Korea. In 1950, during the Korean War, Choon’s family had to flee the onslaught of communists once again. During this escape, Choon’s strength was pivotal in guiding her family through the tough times by helping her parents taking care of her younger siblings. Unable to achieve her goal of becoming a physician in mid 1950s due to her gender, Choon entered the Republic of Korea Uniformed Nursing Academy and graduated as a surgical nurse with the rank of second lieutenant. In early 1961, as a first lieutenant in the ROK army, Choon fell in love with a handsome second lieutenant, Jae Yung Suh, resigned her commission, and they married on March 30, 1961. On November 20, 1961, Choon and Jae welcomed their son, Sang-Jin, and on their fourth anniversary on March 30, 1965, they welcomed their daughter Yang Hwa. On both occasions, Jae was deployed overseas and could not attend the birth of his children. During the 1960s, Choon often had to raise her children by herself while Jae was deployed overseas for a total of almost four years including the Vietnam War. In January of 1974, Choon immigrated to the United States of America to help Jae fulfill his desire of living in the States. After a few months of living in New York City by herself and working two nursing jobs, Choon invited the rest of her family and they reunited in August 1974 in Lyons, IL.

Choon’s strength was again pivotal in guiding and helping her family to succeed in the US. In1975, Choon and her family moved to Evanston, IL where she purchased and ran a successful neighborhood grocery store while Jae established a HVAC business. In 1978, Choon and Jae achieved the American dream and purchased their first house in Skokie, IL. Working hard performing a dual duty of running the grocery store and Jae’s growing business, Choon never lost sight of the importance of education and was instrumental in the academic success of her children through constant encouragement. Choon took an immense pride when both of her kids graduated from the renowned University of Chicago.

Choon was a loving person. Choon’s first and foremost love was her family. Her love for Jae never wavered throughout their 61 years of marriage that included multiple long-term separations due to Jae’s military career, his close encounters with death due to unexpected

health problems, and all too familiar story of immigrants who had to work extremely long hours with little rest to achieve the American dream. To the last day of Jae’s life, they held hands and acted like teenagers in love. Choon was a demanding but a loving mother who accepted nothing but the best efforts from her children. She provided unconditional love and support but expected her children to work hard to achieve their potential. Choon’s bark was always much louder than her bite which was nonexistent. By the time her grandchildren, Jordan and Jessica Suh, and Alex and Samantha Kellogg, arrived, Choon had lost all of her bark and she was simply the most loving, compassionate, and patient grandmother. Choon was a very popular person who was loved and respected by her many friends. She cherished spending quality time with her many friends and maintained lifelong friendships.

Choon and Jae loved to travel. Thanks to their daughter and son in law, Yang and Bill, Choon and Jae traveled around the world, including important religious sites, with Yang, Bill, Alex, and Samantha, that brought joy to their hearts. Choon loved Korean TV and spent her free time watching Korean dramas. When Choon was in her fifties, she took up aerobics which transformed her into a fitness guru. She became so proficient that she occasionally served as a substitute aerobics instructor at her health club. Around the same time, Choon picked up golf and, although she never truly appreciated the sport, she played it to spend more time with Jae who loved the game.

Choon was a devout Catholic who started each day with prayers of the rosary. Choon and Jae played a pivotal role in the growth of Chicago area’s Korean Catholic community in the 1980s and 1990s. While living in Chicago area, Choon supported numerous priests and nuns by hosting and supporting them in countless ways. To the very end, Choon remained faithful to her religious beliefs.

After living in Skokie, IL for almost 35 years, Choon and Jae moved to Opelika, AL to be closer to their son, Sang-Jin, and his family. In 2019, they moved with their son and daughter in law, Sang-Jin and Laura, to Richardson, TX. Choon never fully recovered from the loss of her beloved husband, Jae, in May 2022 and her health steadily declined over the next four years. Choon was a loving person who was popular, respected, and loved by all who knew her. Her love of family was perfectly described by my father who said that despite the fact she disliked cooking (she was a gourmet cook), and even when she felt very ill, she would perk up and start to cook my favorite dishes whenever I would stop by for a meal. That love and sacrifice for her family and friends as well as her lovely smile will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.Choon is survived by her son and wife, Sang-Jin and Laura; her daughter and husband, Yang Hwa and Bill; and her four grandchildren Jordan, Jessica, Alex, and Samantha. We love you mother and both Yang and I feel
privileged to have been raised by you and experienced your love. On behalf of her surviving family members who miss her terribly, we celebrate the life of a remarkable woman who was our mother and grandmother.


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