Kyung Sil (Lee) Yoon

Obituary of Mrs. Kyung Sil (Lee) Yoon

Personal Information:

Kyung Sil Yoon, 88 of Fort Lee, NJ, passed away tragically during the COVID-19 pandemic on March 30, 2020. She was born on April 20, 1931, in South Pyongan Province, the sixth of nine children. She immigrated to the United States with her husband and four children on July 24, 1970 for the purpose of serving Korean immigrants to live a life of faith.

Her husband, Myung Ho Yoon, whom she married on March 20, 1953, passed away of natural causes in their home, on July 27, 2024 surrounded by their children and grandchildren.

She is survived by her four children, whom she lovingly raised with strong Christian values: Susie Sung Sook, Mike Eun Soo and Sarah Ok ja, Jimmy Jin Soo and Michelle Misun, and Grace Sung Hee. And her five grandchildren: Joseph Yoseph and Allison, James Jaeman and Christine Eunhae, Jonathan Yonadan, David Daehan, and Joy Younghwa.

She was well known for her passionate dedication of fulfilling God’s will, never shying away from any challenges.

The earliest memory of our Mom was being woken up to the noise of her chopping vegetables loudly while singing or humming her favorite hymns. She always prepared 5 Star restaurant meals; her hands were rarely idle. She especially loved seeing wild animals on land, living creatures in the ocean, and anything of beauty in God’s creation.

She also had a strong affinity for action movies. In fact, we think she might have been an MI secret agent but never told anyone!

While she was a resident in the nursing home, we saw our mom’s memory decline significantly due to dementia, but oddly enough, when she prayed, her words were crystal clear and always on point. This gave my siblings and I such comfort knowing that as her physical body deteriorated, her spirit was only getting stronger by the day. When I asked her how she was doing… her answer was always a cheerful: “Gam sa, gam sa, gam sa- gamsa ba kae up jjje.” or “Thank you, thank you, thank you- there is nothing but thank you!”

This attitude of deep and sincere gratitude regardless of the ever-changing world around her, taught us so much about the power of gratitude and her deep abiding faith that our God is still the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever and that we need not fear.

Our Mother’s character is accurately described in Proverbs 31:

“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family…  She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised…”

Education:

Graduated from Myeong Ryun Public School in Pyongyang

Graduated from Pyongyang No. 4 Girls’ Middle School (known as a math prodigy)

Attended Korea Theological Seminary, Jeju Branch (1950-1952)

Completed coursework at Nora No Fashion School in Myeong-dong