Seung-Hyang Deborah Lim

Seung-Hyang Deborah Lim, a devoted and loving mother, wife, grandmother, and friend to many, passed away on September 17, 2025, at the age of 69 after a courageous two-and-a-half year long battle with leukemia.

Deborah was born on November 16, 1955, in South Korea to Reverend Dong Sun Lim and Mrs. Chae Soon Lim. She immigrated to the United States on June 3, 1967, growing up in the Los Angeles Koreatown community.

She graduated from UCLA in 1979 with Bachelors degrees in Sociology and Psychology before receiving her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego Law School in 1982. She was admitted into the California State Bar Association in 1983 and practiced immigration law for over 40 years, helping countless families pursue the American dream.

Debbie met Dr. James Hahn at a friend’s wedding in 1981, and they were wed in Los Angeles on August 14, 1982. They welcomed their two children, Timothy and Esther, in 1983 and 1985, respectively. Their home in Hancock Park has been the epicenter of their lives for 40 years.

Debbie was a strong woman of faith who served her father’s church–Oriental Mission Church–as a Sunday School teacher for more than 30 years. She also served at the church’s Korean American Family Service as a Board Member and Legal Counsel and the World Mission Church as a Board Member.

Debbie is survived by her husband James; her two children Tim Hahn (Asha Choudhury) and Esther Hahn (Brendan Cooney); her three grandchildren Colette Cooney, Gavin Cooney, and Connell Cooney; her three siblings Peter Lim (Amy), Rebecca Rhee (Shiewoo), and John Lim (Eleanor); and a great host of cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends who will remember her as a beacon of warmth and kindness, dedicated to her family, friends, and God. Words cannot express the depth of our grief, but we take solace in her reunion with her parents and the family and friends who have passed before her.

A funeral service will be held at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park (5600 Lindero Canyon Rd., Westlake Village) on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 11:00am. Viewing will follow right after the service until 2:00pm.