Steve Hoon Cho

CHO, Steve Hoon, 73, on Monday, August 14, 2017. Beloved husband of Myong Ja Shim of 44 years; loving father of Alex (Yukyong) and Michael (Alice) Cho; dear grandfather of Noah, Abigail, Noelle, Jacob, and Josie; dear brother of Chung Hwa, Suk Ho, Chung Ae, Chung Sil, and the late Chung Ja Cho; dear uncle and friend to many. Steve was loved for his kindness, admired for his work ethic, and had the amazing ability to be content in any and all circumstances. Even after a massive stroke disabled him, Steve never lost his good nature.

Cho Suk Hoon, or Steve Cho, as he wanted to be known as here in the US, was born in Pyongan Nam-do, in what is now North Korea, on September 26, 1943.

His father, sensing something was going to happen as World War II was drawing to a close, moved the family south, to Seoul – prior to partition – the only one of his many brothers and sisters to do so. When the Korean Civil War began, like many, his family fled Seoul and moved even further south, later returning and making Seoul their home in post-war Korea. His brother, Suk Ho, tells the story that one time, he was extremely late to come home from school, which was very atypical of him and worried his mother greatly. He eventually came home, hours late, because he had offered to carry an elderly woman’s heavy luggage, without knowing that she lived hours away by foot. But as was typical of him, he would not quit until the job was done – which was one of many important life lessons he later taught his sons.

Steve graduated from the prestigious Donsung High School in 1962, and went on to earn his AB in Economics from Sungkyun Gwan University, graduating in 1969. He completed his Master's in Economics at Yonsei University Graduate School in 1971.

In 1972, he met his future wife, Myong, in an English-language bible study, and on July 5, 1973 they were wed. That fall they emigrated to the United States, to St. Louis, MO, where Myong had a job opportunity with Ralston Purina and their two sons, Alex and Michael, were later both born. Steve left behind his parents, four sisters and younger brother, as well as a coveted job at Korea Schering Pharmaceutical Company, where he worked as a controller from 1971-73. (It was a position for which he had been chosen out of thousands of applicants, at a time when working for an international company in Korea was equivalent to a golden ticket. Self-sacrifice was another lesson he would teach his sons.)

In 1974, he was hired by Orchard Corporation of America, where he was a graphic chemist/designer specializing in woodgrain patterns. The decorative products unit he was a part of was acquired by Borden Chemical Company, and later RotaDyne, but for 27 years – through layoffs and call-backs, and continued downsizing – he worked in the same location in Crestwood, until RotaDyne left the St Louis area in 2001. His secret: punching out and then going back to work, sometimes for hours more, depending on what work needed doing, He later worked for Pillsbury until that factory closed, and then at Genco Distribution until his stroke in 2004. By that point, he no longer needed to work – he just wanted to.

Steve was baptized in the Korean Church of Greater St. Louis in 1976, and was installed as a deacon in 1979. Later, after their church merged with Hope Church to form Korean Hope Presbyterian Church, he became an elder in 2003. He also served as the church's treasurer for seven years. His time in the church was marked by often unheralded, humble, but completely necessary service, like taking out the trash.

In addition to his regular full-time work, he often worked one or two extra jobs in order to save money for his sons’ schooling. He owned one of the first Korean-owned laundromats in St. Louis. He delivered newspapers for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for several years, waking in the pre-dawn hours to deliver his papers early, before working a full day. On Saturdays, he tended to a couple of rental properties. Sundays, of course, were for church. Despite these inhuman hours, Steve almost always maintained a cheerful disposition, so happy to see his family after a long day’s work.

It was while at work the morning of September 1, 2004, that he suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke, and was found by a co-worker in time to undergo emergency surgery at Barnes-Jewish that saved his life. He was in the ICU for a month, hospitalized for two more months, and in rehabilitation for six, before finally returning home. By God’s grace, the devoted care (and dogged persistence) of his wife, Myong – and his willingness to do whatever was asked of him – he recovered to the point of being able to walk with a cane, rise up from a chair, feed and even help dress himself, and take himself to the bathroom. This was despite being completely paralyzed in his right arm and most of his right leg.

Before his stroke, Steve liked to fish (even though he wasn’t very good at it), garden, work outdoors, and go to garage and estate sales. He was universally regarded as a hard worker and a good man. He sometimes drove his family crazy with his legendary frugality, but was ultimately able to give his sons a tremendous head start in life: both graduated from college debt-free. He was also remarkably generous to people he encountered who were in need.

Probably the most important lesson he taught his sons was to be content in all circumstances. When with them, he would often exclaim how wonderful the weather was, regardless of what the weather actually was (be it raining, sleeting, snowing, or 100 degrees Fahrenheit at 100 percent humidity – this being St. Louis). It was his way of saying that external circumstances should have very little bearing on how content you were, and that it was enough that we were together as a family. But like all great fathers, he did not just say these words, but lived them, being himself cheerful and content even after becoming severely disabled so close to retirement.

After his stroke, Steve got to see five grandchildren be born, enjoy their company and see them grow. With his loyal and loving wife, Myong, and his sons and grandchildren, he fulfilled many of his life goals of seeing the world, traveling to the Bahamas, Vancouver, Banff, and Israel; as well as Florida, the Outer Banks, Seattle, Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Kansas City; plus one last time back to Korea, to visit family and his parents’ final resting place. And until the year of his death, and thanks again to his wife, Myong, he continued to attend both Sunday and home church services religiously.

Suk Hoon “Steve” Cho will always be remembered as an honest, modest, frugal, kind, patient, and hard-working man of few words. He always thought about his family first and always tried his best. His greatest goal was to provide a better life for his two sons and he succeeded. We are forever grateful to him, and take solace in knowing that in heaven he will have a new body and mind, and can finally relax. We just hope he doesn’t work too hard.

Personal and Church History of Steve Hoon Cho (조석훈):

• Born on September 26, 1943 in Yong Kang, Pyong An Nam-do

• 1962, Graduated from Donsung High School

• 1969, AB Economics from Sungkyun Gwan University

• 1971, MA Economics from Yonsei University Graduate School

• 1971-73, Controller, Korea Schering Pharmaceutical Co.

• 1973, September, Emigrated to St. Louis, MO, USA

• 1974-2001, Graphic Designer, Orchard Corporation of America/Borden Chemical Co./RotaDyne Deco Technologies

• 2001-04, Worked at Pillsbury, Genco Distribution

• 1976, Baptized at Korean Church of Greater St. Louis

• 1979, Installed as Deacon, Korean Church of Greater St. Louis

• 2003, Installed as Elder, Korean Hope Presbyterian Church

SERVICES: Visitation 4pm until time of service at 8pm on Thursday, August 17, 2017 at KRIEGSHAUSER WEST CHAPEL 9450 Olive Blvd., Olivette, MO 63132. Procession from the funeral home 10am Saturday, August 19, 2017 for interment in Bellerive Heritage Gardens.