Andrew Hong

1941 - 2016

Andrew Il Chun Hong
January 12, 1941 - August 2, 2016

Our beloved father, Andrew (Il Chun), died peacefully on Tuesday, August 2nd, surrounded by his lifelong love, Esther (Jung Ja), his son, Jim, and his daughter, Sarah, by his side. He is survived by Esther, Jim, and Sarah, as well as Jim's wife Emma and their two kids Andrew and Zoe, and Sarah's husband Peter Yoo and their kids, Nathan and Katherine. Andrew also leaves behind thousands of people, mostly Korean and other immigrants, that he helped not only spiritually with his pastoring, but also in how he helped them acclimate and integrate into life in America.

Andrew Hong was born Il Chun Hong in Seoul, Korea in January 1941 to Soon Pyo Hong (father) and Jung Wol Yoon (mother). He was sent to his grandmother to live in Seoul in order to protect their youngest child from being drafted into the army and fight in the Korean War. Like many children, he was forced to move south and ended up living much of his teen years in Daejeon, South Korea. During the war, he became separated from his parents and 2 sisters, who live in what is now North Korea, effectively making him an orphan due to the war.

He married Jung Ja Kim, who would be his beloved wife and partner the rest of his years, on November 11, 1967. He would forever say that 11 was his lucky number. But it was his dream to come to America and build a life, so in October 1968 he left his pregnant wife and landed in San Francisco with barely $100 in scrounged together small bills and coins. By the end of that first day, he found a job washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant so that he could earn some money before making his way to Omaha, NE where he would enroll in Grace University to get his degree in Divinity Studies.

That was quite a sacrifice as he missed the birth of his son, Hee Sun, whom he would later give the western name, James. Andrew would meet his son for the first time in the Spring of 1970 when James and Esther joined him in Omaha after a big fundraising effort to bring his family to America by the students and faculty of Grace University. Reunited with his family, they moved to Wheaton, IL in 1971 where Andrew would continue his education, eventually earning a Masters degree at Wheaton College, and co-founding a Korean church in Wheaton in 1972, the same year his daughter, Sarah, would be born.

Andrew had found his calling as a pastor and founded his own church, the First Korean Baptist of Schaumburg, in 1975 where he pastored for 20 years, building a sanctuary and church that still thrives today. During those years, he helped many Korean immigrants find roots in the Chicago area often acting as a Korean-English interpreter for everything from INS interactions to job interviews to any of dozens of other interactions that required understanding the American system and the English language. He expanded his calling by also leading the Chicagoland Korean Pastors Association as well as acting as a hospital chaplain to provide solace and comfort to everyone who needed it. He completed his career in Nashville, heading up a Korean church in Antioch that was in need of a Head Pastor, as well as becoming the Language Director for the Nashville Baptist Association from 2000 - 2007. His passion for helping immigrants come to America and find a place to call their home would be the hallmark of his life's work.

Andrew and Esther moved to Seattle in 2007 where they would retire and enjoy living close to family once again. Andrew instilled his passion for service and his pursuit to do the best that you can to his family. He leaves a legacy that can be seen in his children and grandchildren, and also in the many Korean immigrants whose children have grown and thrived and for whom the next generation continues to make the best of the opportunities they have been given.

Memorial Service:

Korean Zion Presbyterian Church
17920 Meridian Ave N
Seattle, WA 98133
(206) 363-5041

Saturday, August 27,
10:30 am