Kye Soon Kim

Our lovely Kye Soon Kim, 93 of Westminster, originally from South Korea, passed away peacefully on November 18, 2025, surrounded by her family. The third of six children, Kye Soon was born on February 16, 1932, to Chung Kil Kim and Jin Heui Kim in Seoul, Korea during the Japanese colonial period. She married Jae Keun Lee in February 1951 during the early stages of the Korean War and had four sons and a daughter. After becoming a widow in 1975, Kye Soon, with a daughter and two of her youngest sons, immigrated to Englewood, CO to be closer to her youngest sister, Kye Jong Kim-Ammons. Always happy and welcoming, Kye Soon leaves to all who knew her a legacy of strength, compassion, and love for one another.

Kye Soon’s early childhood was spent in a suburb of Seoul, Korea where her father was a train conductor, and her mother cared for their families. Soon after Korea was liberated from Japan in 1945 her father passed away, leaving a young wife with six children. After her father’s death their life was not easy, so instead of continuing with education she entered the workforce at the tender age of fourteen. She worked in various factory jobs until the Korean War broke out in June of 1950.

The initial pace of the war was so fast they didn’t have a time to leave Seoul. In a span of three months in 1950, Seoul fell to North Korea and was recaptured by the United Nations forces. During those critical periods, she experienced a few life-threatening experiences from not only the North Korean soldiers, but from the United Nations forces as well. So, when the Chinese forces entered the war in late 1950, the family decided to flee Seoul and take comfort in southern Korea away from the battlefield. Kye Soon, at eighteen, with her mother along with three younger sisters became refugee seeking shelters in south finally settling in a village about 90 miles south of Seoul. That’s where Kye Soon met Jae Keun Lee and subsequently married in February 1951.

After her husband passed away in 1975, Kye Soon and her only daughter, Soon Lee, and two of her youngest sons, Kyu Hyun Lee, and Ki Hyun Lee immigrated to Englewood, Colorado in 1977 to be closer to her youngest sister, Kye Jong Kim-Ammons.

While in Englewood, Kye Soon worked tirelessly as a housekeeper at Swedish Medical Center to take care of her family until her retirement in 1994. When additional resources were needed, she took on part time work so she would have enough resources to take care of her family. Although she wasn’t abundantly rich, she was proud to be working and able to support her family by herself. After her retirement she dedicated her time of taking care of grandkids and great grandkids. They were her life and passion.

Kye Soon is survived by children: Soon Lee (Eric), Westminster, CO and Ki Lee (Son Chong), Yorktown, VA; 11 grandchildren: Amy (Bo), Jun Kyu (Song Yi), Hana (Min Sung), Young Jun, Yun Oak, Lynn (Lily), Virginia (Jacob), Shawn, James, Grant (Dong Im), and Shannon; 13 great grandchildren: Hae On, Sa Rang, Ha Neul, Haley, Bibian, Taylor, Timmy, Chloe, Jordan, Keira, Gianna, Jacob. JR and Rachel. She will always be lovingly remembered by her sisters Ki Suk, Tae Suk and Kye Jong, and numerous nephews and nieces.

Kye Soon was preceded in death by her parents, her older sister, her older brother Yi Song, her husband Jae Keun, her sons: Tae Hyun, Tack Hyun and Kyu Hyun.

A visitation will be held at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary, located at 7777 West 29th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, on November 24, 2025, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

A graveside service will be on November 25, 2025, at 11:00 am at Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery.