Sooja Kim was born on October 20, 1921 in Kae Sung, Korea, as the only daughter of Kim Jun Young and Chang Jeong Hee. She had two older brothers and a younger brother, all of whom she survived. In her late teenage years, she moved to Kobe, Japan where she studied early childhood education, graduated from college, and worked as a school teacher before returning to Korea in the late 1940’s.
She worked for Korea National Bank until she married Kim Kong Hee in 1952, had two daughters and two sons, and became a homemaker. After her husband passed away in 1979, she immigrated to America with her daughter and U.S. Army soldier son-in-law in 1983. During her long life, she was fluent in the Korean, Japanese, and English languages.
Sooja Kim thanked God every day. After each of her children immigrated to America, she traveled extensively with each of their families throughout the U.S., East Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Americas, Israel, Egypt, the Caribbean, and even accidentally onto a roller coaster ride at a theme park in Orlando at the age 75. But mostly, she liked to be at home reading her Bible.
She practiced gratitude, was a devoted Christian, read the Bible daily, and encouraged couples to "hold hands and go to Church every Sunday". Until the pandemic, she was a member of Korean Community Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and All Nations Church in San Antonio. She had an incredibly simple and minimalist life (except for in her purse), and was highly adaptable. She enjoyed reading, looking at photos, and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Sooja Kim went to be with her Lord and savior, just shy of her 100th Birthday. She considered herself to be 100 years young, she was fully mobile, with a sharp mind, excellent eyesight, and she walked and ate on her own until her final days. She attributed her long life and health to walking 3 times daily without fail and her healthy, nutrient rich and diverse diet.
She is survived by her four children, Theresa, Inkee, Yoonkee, and Jinkee; their spouses Hae Choon, Jim, Soae, and Faye; eight grandchildren, Sun Kyu, Sunyoung, Miya, Romy, Junho, Jiho, Brian and Alex; and five great-grandchildren, Jay O, Ryan, Dylan, Lincoln, and Taliya, who all love her very much. We will miss her every day.
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