Ok Young Helen Park

Ok Young Helen Park (née Kim) made a huge impact on family, friends and neighbors throughout her 84 years on the earth. Strong, selfless and fiercely loyal, she delayed her passing for several days — giving her family the precious gift of time to express their deep gratitude and love while sharing fond remembrances and funny stories of their tiny but mighty mom, wife, sister, grandmother and friend.

Ok Young was a shining star. Born in Gongju (formerly Kongjoo-up), South Korea, and reared in a musically gifted family (her mother was a renowned soprano singer), she graduated from Seoul Arts High School, then went on to receive her bachelor’s degree from the College of Music at Seoul National University in 1963. That same year, Chosun newspaper named her the “Young Artist of the Year,” a nationwide annual award recognizing a single music graduate receiving the highest score in their field. Upon completing her master’s degree in music at Seoul National University, Ok Young moved to the United States in 1965 and over the next few years, she pursued graduate studies at the University of Washington’s School of Music and subsequently San Francisco State University’s School of Music and Dance.

It was in 1968 when Ok Young met and fell head over heels for Peter Chang Hee Park. The two got married that year following a whirlwind romance that started in Los Angeles and continued in San Francisco. In 1969 and 1970, Ok Young gave birth to two daughters and became a full-time mom and domestic engineer. Her musical activities took a back seat to family-oriented pursuits such as putting dinner on the table (kalbi short ribs was one of her go-tos), making sure the kids excelled in school (and music, of course), going to parent-teacher conferences, helping run a small business with her husband to subsidize her children’s tuition along with annual family vacations and so much more.

Ok Young also became active in the San Francisco Korean United Methodist Church: For many years, she served as the church’s Sunday school program director. Ok Young also often accompanied on the piano for church programs during the holidays and other special occasions. And she continued to enjoy playing the piano at home.

After almost 40 years in San Francisco, Ok Young and Peter moved to Surprise, AZ, in October 2003, to enjoy their golden years in the desert together. Known to friends and neighbors as Helen, she spent her days in Surprise walking her beloved dog Teddy until his passing, going for daily strolls in her community with Peter and attending New Song United Methodist Church. She also spent hours every day tending to her garden, which included citrus trees, a fig tree and — her favorite — rose bushes. But what she looked forward to the most was texts, phone calls and visits with her daughters and their families. She doted on her two grandchildren, who both loved halmoni (Korean for grandmother) dearly and whom she visited extensively in Hawaii.

Ok Young Helen is survived by Peter Park, her husband of almost 57 years; her daughters Sarah Park (married to Lyle Carden) and Lisa Park (married to Jaime Perkins); grandchildren Noah and Athena (children of Sarah and Lyle); sisters In Young Cha (married to Kwang Yong Cha) and Young Hae Han (married to Sang Keun Park); and brothers Woojin Han and Sejin Han.

In keeping with her wishes, her husband and daughters will have her ashes scattered in the ocean in Hawaii. The ceremony will involve her closest family members, music (including some that Ok Young composed herself way back when) and flowers (because she loved them so).

Ok Young is sorely missed by all she touched, but she will always be in our hearts — today and forevermore.