Nak Hong Kim

Nak Hong Kim, age 87, of Deerfield, IL, and long-time resident of Morton Grove, IL; loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, IL, surrounded by his family.

Nak Hong was the eighth of nine children born to Kyu Won and Ahjee (Meng) Kim on June 29, 1936, in Seoul, Korea. He married Seong Hee Kim on May 10, 1964, in Seoul. Nak Hong and Seong Hee were married 59 years.

Nak Hong graduated from high school in Seoul in 1956 prior to studying at Sungkyunkwan University from 1956 - 1958, where he was a strong student in mathematics. Following school, he served in the South Korean Army and later operated his own propane gas distribution business in Busan, Korea. He emigrated to the United States with his wife and three daughters in 1974 in search of a brighter future. He settled in the Chicago area and worked as a machinist at the Temple Steel Company from 1975 to 1986. Nak Hong later operated his own retail clothing business with his wife in Chicago, retiring in 2002.

In his younger years, Nak Hong enjoyed sports and other athletic activities, frequently hiking in the mountains near his home in Seoul. He was christened as Peter in the Catholic faith in 1985, and was an active member of the St. Paul ChongHasang Church in Des Plaines, IL. He enjoyed many church social functions and was particularly active in the table tennis group. He was an avid golfer and mastered Chicago suburban geography based on the locations of his favorite golf courses. Always competitive, he recorded several holes-in-one during rounds that he frequently planned with his family and friends. Nak Hong was also an accomplished ballroom dancer and could be seen in many Chicago ballrooms gliding with Seong Hee in style. He was particularly clever in devising time and labor-saving shortcuts to help at work or with household chores, and demonstrated skill in taking on big home renovation projects on his own. He loved the Korean strategy game baduk (Go), and excelled at on-line competitions. He survived pancreatic cancer in 2002, and subsequently enjoyed many years of travel and time with his family. His greatest joy was spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren on summer picnics at the beach, traveling, enjoying natural landscapes, and watching his grandchildren grow through their varied activities.

Nak Hong is survived by his wife, Seong Hee, and by his three daughters, Dr. Christina Kim (Dr. Karsten Fryburg), of Carmel, IN, Elizabeth (William) Mertes of Deerfield, IL, and Clara (Dr. Guy) Seeley of Carlisle, MA. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Madeline, Audrey, Owen, Kathryn, Maxwell, Michael, and Nathaniel. He is further survived by brother Nak Yung (Sun Ok) Kim of Skokie, IL, brothers-in-law Soon In Hong and Soon Kul Hong (Hyuk Soon) of Los Angeles, and sisters-in-law Young Soon Hong of Los Angeles, Jung Sook Kim of Busan, Korea, and Soon Nim (Myung Duk) Yang of Mount Prospect, IL. Nak Hong also had many nieces and nephews, including special nieces Elsie (Michel) Hermann of Glenview, IL, and Reni (Ellis) Craft of Skokie, IL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Nak Shin Kim of Seoul, Nak Yong Kim of Busan, Korea, and Nak Joon Kim (Haejun) of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Also preceded in death by sisters Soon Jin of Bensenville, IL, Myung Jin, Gap Jin, and In Jin, and spouses, all of Seoul. Further preceded in death by brother-in-law Soon Woo Hong of Sacramento, CA.

In accordance with Nak Hong's wishes, memorial services will be private. Entombment will occur at All Saints Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum in Des Plaines, IL. Memorials may be made to the American Association for Cancer Research (www.donate.aacr.org) on behalf of Nak Hong Kim.