Choon Bok Lim Hong

Choon Bok Lim Hong, age 87, of Chattanooga, passed away Monday, February 16, 2015 in Life Care Center, Red Bank. She was born July 25, 1927 in Hwang-Ju, Korea in a Christian family. It was during the Japanese occupancy before the Korean War.

She worked in a bank after high school, then the Korean War began. Her family moved down to the south and she entered Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul.

After graduating PUTS as a valedictorian, Choon Bok went to Soongsil University majoring in English. She met Rev. Youn Ho Hong at the seminary and they married in 1961, and had four children—one son, who was the first born but died when he was one, and three daughters, Karen, YunJung, and Jamie.

Choon Bok worked for UBF (University Bible Fellowship www.ubf.org) at JeonBook University, National Presbyterian Women’s Association in Korea, and ACTS (Asian Center for Theological School) in South Korea.

In 1980, Rev. Hong was called to a Korean church in America, and the family immigrated in 1982 and settled down in Philadelphia, PA.

With her previous work experience, Choon Bok organized various activities and programs at the churches where her husband worked, and the Korean Division in PCUSA.

Rev. Hong and Choon Bok moved to Chattanooga, TN in 1984 and served at the Korean Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga until he was transferred to another church in Columbus, GA.

She is loved by her three daughters and son-in-laws, Karen & Henry Paik of Chattanooga, TN, Yunjung & Ken Kim of San Francisco, CA, and Jamie & Rob Witthauer of Knoxville, TN, and eight grandchildren, Lauren Paik, Shawn Paik, Emily Paik, Lexie Paik, Yujin Kim, Kwansun Kim, Rachel Witthauer, and Thomas Witthauer.

Her husband, Rev. Youn Ho Hong and her son Yunsul Hong preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be held Friday at 10:00 a.m. in the North Chapel. Burial will follow at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends Thursday from 4-7 p.m. and Friday from 9-10 a.m. at the North Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to Gideon’s International online at www.gideons.org.

Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343.