Kilja Park

Kilja (Kay) Park, loving mother and wife, passed away on 12/28. She was born in Onyang, South Korea and graduated from Seoul Railroad Nursing School in Seoul, South Korea. The oldest child of 7, Kay was the first member of her family to attend college and the first to immigrate to the U.S. Once in the U.S., she embarked on a 40-year career as a nurse anesthetist beginning with her training at Cornell in New York through to her retirement from Baptist Hospital in Pensacola where she raised her two children (Eugene and Hannah). Humbled by her good fortune, she and her late husband, John, worked tirelessly after she first arrived to sponsor her parents along with all of her brothers and sisters so that they could also chase the American dream.

Often called upon at all hours due to her deft skill of administering epidurals, Kilja held to an overnight role throughout her time as a CRNA so that she could participate in her children's lives during the day and see them thrive in their education and in their lives. Her impenetrable will and stamina were evenly balanced by her graciousness and compassion. She touched the lives of many by always seeing the good in people, being thankful and staying humble. In particular, her English teacher's family in New York took Kilja under their wing, hosting her wedding reception, and even becoming “grandparents” to her children. Similarly, a manufacturing executive from Canada and his wife adored Kilja's bedside manner so much so that they would also become lifelong friends and serve as an additional set of "grandparents".

Kay joined the Catholic Church in her adult life along with John. Having sung in a choir as a young girl, her love for singing was nurtured during mass as was her faith. She was a lifelong fan of Julie Andrews and would drop everything to listen to "The Sound of Music". She was also a spirited ping-pong player relishing every moment to play including most recently at her senior center. Inseparable partners, Kilja and John loved to travel together, to watch the stock market for the latest changes, and to tend to their garden and lawn. She was proud when neighbors would stop and commend her green thumb which filled her circle driveway. Often, they would leave with a seedling to jumpstart their own garden. Which truly exemplified how Kilja lived her life - knowing that it was more blessed to give than to receive.

Reflecting the compassion Kilja showed throughout her life, she wished for memorial gifts to take the form of charitable donations to help those in need. The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to Cathedral of Sacred Heart https://shc.ptdiocese.org/give, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House https://www.lenoxhill.org/donate or to their favorite charity in the memory of Kilja Park.

A celebration of life memorial service for Kilja will be held Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM at To Be Determined, New York, NY.