Young Kwon Chu, M.D.

Young Kwon Chu, M.D., passed away on October 30, leaving behind a legacy of love, dedication, curiosity, and lifelong learning. A beloved husband, father, grandfather, and physician, he shared 59 years of marriage with his wife, Sun Im Chu, building a life and family grounded in love, commitment, and shared experiences.

Raised in Cheongju, South Korea, Young graduated from Korea University’s medical school in 1964. He went on to serve as a lieutenant and Army medic in the Republic of Korea Army from 1964 to 1967 before immigrating to the United States in 1967 to continue his medical career.

Young completed his internship at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, New York, followed by training in obstetrics and gynecology in Baltimore, Maryland. He later pursued a specialty in anesthesiology, completing his residency at the State University of New York in Syracuse in 1972. His career brought him to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Medical College of Virginia, where he served as a professor of anesthesiology. He later practiced medicine at Bayside Hospital in Virginia Beach, VA for 23 years. In 1992, he was also awarded a patent for the Clinical Tube Holder Valve Assembly and Method.

Throughout his life, Young embraced a wide range of interests that brought him joy and kept him engaged. An avid golfer and world traveler, he loved exploring new places, skiing, fishing, and discovering good food. He had a lifelong interest in speed skating, both as a skater in his younger years and as a spectator later in life. His curiosity extended to gardening, as well as investing, stock trading, and coin collecting. Retirement at age 62 gave him more time to pursue these passions, but they had long been an important part of his life. He was always eager to learn something new and find ways to keep his mind active.

Music brought him another source of joy. He played the harmonica and guitar and, never one to believe it was too late to try something new, took up the saxophone at age 80. Whether traveling somewhere new, tending to his garden, following the markets, collecting coins, or practicing an instrument, Young approached life with enthusiasm, curiosity, and purpose.

Above all, Young will be remembered for his love of family and the example he set through the way he lived. His life reflected a belief in learning, planning, and taking action to create a meaningful future. His motto, “The time to start is today,” reflected the way he lived his life and encouraged others to embrace.

Young’s memory will be lovingly cherished by his wife, Sun Im Chu; his children and their families: John Chu and his wife, Ruth, and their children, Mason (Ashley), Hannah (Bryce Causey), and Hunter; Susan Chu Blaisdell and her children, Olivia, Sophie, Cameron, along with Geoff Blaisdell; and Steve Chu and his children, Sydney, and Ashley.

A Celebration of Life honoring Dr. Young Kwon Chu will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2026, in the chapel of Rosewood-Kellum Funeral Home, 601 North Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462.