Sung Sook (Park) Oh

Sung Sook Oh (Park) was born on May 24, 1940 in Jae Ryung, Hwang Hae Do, Korea. She left for heaven on May 13, at home in Sierra Vista, just shy of her 85th birthday. She was the first child of Pastor Chi Soon Park, who was remembered for his unique ministry as a chaplain to soldiers during the Korean war. She lost her mother when she was just 8 when Yonsei Hospital was bombed during the Korean War. During those difficult early years and beyond, she experienced countless examples of God’s love and faithfulness. Her family was saved by local believers and through the generosity of American Christians who sent aid. She remained a life-long Democrat as a nod to President Eisenhower, the American president during the war.

Sung met her husband, Dr. Richard Duck-Kyum Oh at Seoul National University where she got her nursing degree (1963) and remained as an instructor until they immigrated to the U.S. in 1972. They lived in Euclid, Ohio, Baltimore, MD and Fort Defiance, AZ. They settled in Sierra Vista, AZ in 1976. God used several pastors, including Rev. Deo Hendricks of Sierra Vista Conservative Baptist Church, to encourage Sung and Richard to start  hosting Korean bible studies in their home. Those meetings became the first Korean church in Sierra Vista. Sung was devoted to the Sierra Vista United Presbyterian Church, constantly hosting gatherings, serving as Sunday School teacher for years and as their pianist from the beginning until the final few months of her life. God allowed her the special blessing of seeing her beloved church revive and flourish in recent months.

She is remembered for caring for her husband at home, throughout the progress of Parkinson’s disease until he preceded her to heaven in 2018. She is also remembered by those who were lucky to be on her list, for her daily 6am Kakao messages re-sharing a bible verse in English, Korean & Spanish (sent by missionary Chang Man Kim) along with a carefully selected hymn or worship song. After her husband passed this became a labor of love for her, involving meticulous collecting and curating of praise music clips and videos. She never learned to type but she was able to continue communicating and blessing her friends and family through praise, generosity and her faithful persistence.

She is survived by her beloved step-mother: Myung Ae Lee; remaining siblings: Sung Duck Park and Rev. John In-bum Park; children: Jane, James, Hyuna; sons-in-laws: James and Farshad; grandchildren: Soraya, Sam, Dillon (Jessica), Luca, Yeri Sophie, Karis and Zara Joy. 

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in Sung Sook's memory may be made to the Sierra Vista United Korean Presbyterian Church, 2230 East Choctaw Drive, Sierra Vista, Arizona 85650.

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