Dr. Choo Hyung Lee

Dr. Choo Hyung "C.H." Lee WEXFORD, Pa. Dr. Choo Hyung "C.H." Lee, 86, passed away in Pittsburgh, Pa., March 13, 2012, after a dignified battle with cancer. Born in 1925 in Hamheung, now in North Korea, he was the only child of Mr. Chung Soo Lee and Ms. Mo Jong Moon. In 1948, he married his life partner, Hae Sook; they had one daughter, Younsil, who passed away tragically as an infant during the Korean War, and three sons, Yoon Sup, Insup, and Joon Sup. After graduating from Hamheung High School in 1943, he attended Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea. He was awarded M.D. from Yonsei University in 1948 and worked in Railroad Hospital through the Korean War and following years until he came to the United States in 1956 to further his training in medicine. He served as a resident of internal medicine at Lincoln Hospital, New York, from 1956 to 1957, and at Charles S. Wilson Memorial Hospital, Johnson City, N.Y., from 1957 to 1958. He then trained in hematology at Montefiore Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa., from 1958 to 1959. After an additional year of research at the Pittsburgh VA, he went back to Korea in 1960. He returned to his alma mater, Yonsei Medical School, in 1961 as an instructor and was promoted to the rank of professor in 1969. He had an active practice in internal medicine and hematology at Severance Hospital and quickly established himself as a popular and respected clinical teacher. In 1971, Dr. Lee emigrated to the United States with his family and settled in Morgan-ton, a small town in the foothills of Appalachian Mountains. He was on the staff of Broughton Hospital (1971 to 1995), and Grace Hospital (1972 to 1993). He became an avid golfer and enjoyed traveling, golf and reading for the remainder of his life. He relocated to Pittsburgh, Pa., at the end of 2009. Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. Lee was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP), a lifetime member of the N.C. Medical Society, and a member of the Burke County Society of Medicine, the American Medical Association and the Burke County Chamber of Commerce. He is survived by his wife of 63 years; his three sons and their spouses, Yoon Sup and Songhee Ma Lee of Daejon, Korea, Insup and Kisung Bae Lee of Philadelphia, Pa., and Joon Sup and Grace Jung Lee of Wexford, Pa.; and seven grandchildren, Judy Sunyoung, Linda SunKyung, David Sunil, Paul Sunwoo, Michelle Sunjoo, Sophia Sunha and Christopher Sunjae. Funeral services are private. Arrangements by George A. Thoma Funeral Home, Inc. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be sent to Family Hospice and Palliative Care, 50 Moffett St., Pittsburgh, PA 15243 (412-572-8800 or 1-800-513-2148; www.familyhospice.com) or The Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation, Attn: Dr. Whan Soon Chung, CEO, 6705 Old York Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19126 (215-224-2040 or JaisohnHouse@gmail.com).