Pil Ju Choi Templeton

Pil Ju Choi Templeton passed at home on December 2, 2020 in Annapolis, Maryland at the age of 74. She was born May 14, 1946 in Taegu, South Korea. She was the fifth of seven children of Jae Hyung Choi and Young Choo Kim. She was raised in a traditional Korean home with a long line of revered ancestors. Her father was of Buddhist heritage and her mother of a Christian one. They have 14 generations on their burial mountain. She studied in Korea until the age of 21 at Kyung Book University and then obtained a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in painting from Hanover College, Indiana. After receiving a Master’s in Fine Arts from Eastern Michigan University, she taught elementary art in Ann Arbor, Michigan for 5 years. She adopted America as her home and became a citizen.

She married Richard Templeton, M.D. in 1978 who finished his psychiatric training in Ann Arbor. They went around the world for six months before residing in Annapolis and then Severna Park in Linstead at Richard’s family home on the Severn River. They had Alec, an architect, and Ashley, a museum and fine art specialist. Pil Ju taught private art classes, owned her own gallery and sold paintings in Washington galleries. She was noted for her beautiful floral and landscape watercolor paintings. She is remembered for her warm personality, motherly love to all, artistic creativity, and graciously hosting family and friends with delicious home-cooked Korean cuisine.

Pil Ju is survived by her husband, Richard, two children, Alec (Nicole) of Pittsburgh, PA and Ashley of Washington, DC and two grandchildren, Oliver and Sebastián, whom she cherished. Her granddaughter whose arrival is eminent will have her Choi family name. This new angel arrives as her grandmotherly angel departs to watch over all of us. Pil Ju is survived by her sisters Ilsun (Woongbum) Lee of Mystic, CT, Chong Eun (Young R.) Park of New Rochelle, NY, Haeyong Kim of Irvine, CA and brother Hyungju of Seoul, South Korea. She is preceded in death by her parents and sister MiRyung Ahn and brother Won Ju Choi.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Contact can be made with Ashley at [email protected]. Our appreciation to all for your love and support from our entire family.