Soo Wha Kim

Mrs. Soo Wha (Chai) Kim died peacefully in her sleep on June 3, 2024, under hospice care at Jerome Home in New Britain, CT.  She was born the oldest of four brothers in 1933 in Taegu, South Korea. Soo Wha graduated from Hyosung Women's College earning her degree in choral conducting and piano performance.  She taught music at the area secondary school and was very active in leading her local church student association before emigrating to the US and marrying her husband, Dr. Ki Hoon Kim (retired, CCSU), on June 6, 1964. They moved to New Britain CT in 1965 to raise their son, Albert Kim, and daughter, Noel (Kim) Desmond. She taught music in the New Britain public school system, as well as private piano lessons. She was a faithful member of South Church/New Britain’s Chancel Choir for over 25 years, and joyfully volunteered at several Korean Presbyterian and United Methodist Churches across Greater Hartford, singing, playing piano, and teaching children’s choirs. Soo also worked in Customer Service at New Britain National Bank/Fleet Bank (now Bank of America) throughout the 1980s & 1990s (and even a brief post-retirement stint as a hostess at a good friend’s sushi restaurant in New Britain!)  While education, music, and faith were Soo’s guiding principles in life, her absolute joy came from spending time with her family members, especially her five grandchildren, for holiday meals, special occasions, important life milestones, and vacations (including favorites like singing in Austria and golfing in Hawaii). Soo’s devoted Christian faith in Christ was an exemplar to all who knew her, and to a wide variety of both English-speaking and Korean Churches across Greater Hartford and New Haven/Hamden, CT. She cheerfully volunteered, donated, and gave of her time and talents as often as she was able, even into her 80s.

She is survived by:  her husband, Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, and her brother Rev. David Chai of Aurora, CO, and Professor Hoon Cha Chai of Seoul, Korea; her son, Albert, and daughter-in-law, Dr. Colleen (O’Connell) Kim, grandsons Andrew Kim of Chicago IL and Aaron Kim of Glastonbury CT; her daughter Noel (Kim) Desmond, son-in-law Stephen Desmond, granddaughters Emily Desmond of St. Louis MO, Grace Desmond and Julia Desmond of Westborough MA; several nieces, nephews, and cousins across the US and South Korea. Soo was 90 years old.

Calling Hours are 4:00-6:00PM on Friday afternoon, June 14th, 2024, at Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home (411 South Main St.) in New Britain CT. A Celebration of Life Service is scheduled for Saturday morning at 11:00AM (livestream link via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SouthChurchNewBritainCT/videos) at South Church (90 Main St.) in New Britain CT, followed by a lunch reception at the church. Guests on Friday and/or Saturday are invited to wear pink or purple, which were Soo’s favorite colors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made in Soo Wha Kim’s memory to South Church in New Britain (www.southchurch.org)