Sun Duk Ahn

Mrs. Ahn was born in Kumgang-san, a region located in present-day North Korea, and attended Bae Hwa Girls High School in Seoul until 1946. In 1947, she married Chai Ho Ahn, M.D., in Masan, South Korea. Between 1952-1959, she remained with her four children in Korea during the Korean War, while her husband was in New York City undergoing medical training.

In 1959, she and her children immigrated to the United States, initially moving to Booneville, Arkansas, where her husband worked as a staff physician at Arkansas State Tuberculosis Hospital. The Ahn family, at the time, was the first Korean family to ever immigrate to the American mainland as a family. From 1965-1985, the family lived in Tyler, Texas, and were active members of the Marvin United Methodist Church. In 1985, she and her husband moved to Dallas, Texas to be close to their children and grandchildren. She remained active in her local church, Highland Park United Methodist, and the North Texas Korean community until her passing.

She is survived by her 4 children, Mary, John, Sam, Richard, and 12 grandchildren; Sandra Pak Knox, Suzy Pak, Michelle Pak, Margaret Pak, Charlene Ahn Beckman, Christina Kim Ahn Hickey, Foster Ahn Hays, Kimberly Ahn Hays, Justin Ahn, Alexander Ahn, Katherine Ahn, Elizabeth Ahn, and 9 great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her daughter, Dr. Suzanne Ahn in 2003, and by her husband Dr. Chai Ho Ahn in 2011.

She will be laid to rest at Sparkman/Hillcrest Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas. The viewing will take place at 11am, Sunday, November 5, 2017 with the funeral service and burial to follow at noon and 2pm, respectively. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Dr. Suzanne Ahn Speaker Endowment Fund at the Dallas Women’s Foundation (www.dallaswomensfdn.org).