Ok Jo "Joanne" Ham

With great sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Ok-Jo Ham, who passed away peacefully at home in Thornhill, Ontario, on November 1, 2024. She is survived by her devoted husband of 63 years, Sung-Sik Ham, and her children: Don-Ooh Ham (m. Kyeongin), Michelle Misook Ellefson (m. Chris), Cindy Insook Emmerson (m. David), and her seven cherished grandchildren: Sangkyu, Inkyu, Erik, Sam, Lochlin, Olivia, and Maxwell.

Ok-Jo (“Joanne”) was born in Gangwon-Do Province during a turbulent period in Korean history. She cared for her oldest child while her husband served three years in the South Korean military. After her third child was born, she and her family immigrated to Canada in 1975, working various jobs before settling in Windsor, Ontario. There, she worked tirelessly operating a coin laundromat until her retirement in 1998. An active member of the Korean community in Windsor, Joanne was known for her generosity and contributions to numerous delicious meals served both at church and at home. In 2013, she moved to Thornhill, Ontario, to be closer to her children and grandchildren.

Joanne will be forever remembered for the abundance of love she showed her family through her unmatched cooking skills, generosity, and unconditional acceptance, especially for her seven grandchildren. Despite the hardships and sacrifices of her early life, she demonstrated unfailing kindness to everyone she encountered, including friends, neighbours, and the many medical workers she relied upon later in life. We will always cherish memories of her ability to see the good in everyone and to find beauty in all that she encountered.

Thank you to the staff at Thornhill Medical Centre Palliative Care, Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital Cardiac Care, and Southlake Regional Cardiac Care Centre.

Visitation will be on Tuesday November 5, 2024 from 10:30 - 11:00 am at Yumkwang Korean Presbyterian Church, 2850 John Street in Markham. Funeral Service will follow at 11 am, followed by interment at Elgin Mills Cemetery in Richmond Hill.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada are appreciated.