Amy Hwang

née Duk Soon Pak

Duk Soon Amy Hwang, age 85 of University Place, Washington, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. and is awaiting her eternal inheritance. Duk Soon was born in Seungju, Korea to Kyung Ho Pak and Hye Soon Kim on Friday, March 19, 1937. Her birth was legally registered on July 17, 1937.

As a teen, Duk Soon (whose name means "virtue" and "obedience") studied and joined the faith of her parents and was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church around the time of the Korean War (1950-1953). She graduated from Gunsan Normal School and worked as an Elementary School Educator for one year at Honam SDA School in Gwangju, Korea until 1958.

Duk Soon then decided to enroll in the nursing program at Sahmyook Nursing School in Seoul Korea where she received her English name, Amy (which aptly means "love"). After graduating in March 1961, Amy worked at the Korean Union Medical Center. She met a handsome young man named Chonsok "Jonathan" Hwang and fell in love with him. They were married on February 17, 1962, initiating a union that lasted 60 years until her death.

Amy left work at the hospital and became the mother of two children, Chansun "Chan" born in Gwangju on February 6, 1965 and Una born in Busan on May 19, 1966. On May 2, 1971, the family of four immigrated to the United States of America. They applied for and were granted citizenship of the United States of America, notification of which was realized on Independence Day on the Bicentennial of this nation, July 4, 1976.

Amy and Jonathan worked hard to support their family in their new country and learned their new language, English. Jonathan wanted the family only to speak in English to better adapt to the customs and culture of suburban America. They lived in the Chicago area. Amy worked the full spectrum of nursing, including neonatal nursing, as well as labor and delivery, medical/surgical nursing, intensive care nursing, and psychiatric nursing. She taught her children to trust in the Lord and to love His Word. She inspired Chan to teach others of God's love using his calling as a medical doctor. She encouraged Una to become a musician, a teacher,  and an astrophysicist. Jonathan, while first working also in local hospitals, saved up and bought one business then several years later sold it to buy a larger business.

Amy loved to be with her grandchildren. So, when Chan and his wife Esther found jobs in Washington State and moved there with their two children as well as Chan's grandmother, Choon Ja Oh Hwang, Amy and Jonathan left suburban Chicago and moved to Washington two years after her son's family. In Tacoma, she saw the birth of two more grandchildren.

Amy enjoyed nursing and did continue to work in Washington as an RN, but due to the onset of illness, she retired at age 70. She was lovingly cared for by her devoted husband, Jonathan for 15 years in her protracted illness. Her daughter, Una also moved from Maryland to University Place, Washington to help care for Amy in May of 2012. Amy fell asleep in Jesus on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. in home hospice care in the home of her son and daughter-in-law 31,227 days after she was born.

Amy was preceded by her parents Kyung Ho Pak and Hye Soon Kim, her brother Youn Song Pak, and her sisters Sung Soon Pak and Jung Soon Pak.

Amy is survived by her husband, Jonathan, her sisters Soo Ja and Min Ja, her daughter, Una, her son, Chansun with his wife Esther, and their children, Nathaniel, Nicole "Mina", Natalie "Nat", and Noelle.

Amy now awaits the voice of the Archangel calling her to awaken with an incorruptible body to an eternal inheritance to be ever with the God she loved and honored all the days of her life. The celebration of her life will be at the New Tacoma Cemetery Chapel on September 25, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. across the road from the office located on 9212 Chambers Creek Rd W, University Place, WA 98467. There will be a dinner reception following the gravesite service.