Ran Ja Kang

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Ran Ja Kang (née Nan Kyung Kim), beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, and cherished friend, who departed this life peacefully, on December 26, 2025, at the age of 89.
Ran Ja was born on August 7, 1936, in Seoul, Korea. From an early age, she embodied grace, resilience, and quiet strength. She received her Bachelors degree in Literature at the most prestigious Ewha Women's University, where she was actively involved in academic and extra-curricular activities. Ran Ja was not only intelligent, she was a Miss Korea finalist in 1959.
In December 1960, Ran Ja married the love of her life, Dai Young Kang (aka "Kwangju Handsome"). Their marriage spanned more than sixty five years and was marked by deep devotion, mutual respect, and enduring love. Together, they built a warm and nurturing home, raising three children: Ilwon, Joo In, and Sangwon. As a former soprano, pianist, school teacher and devoted homemaker, Ran Ja embraced her role with unwavering dedication, placing her family at the center of her life. She eagerly welcomed her daughters-in-law, Linh and Alice, and son-in-law, Roland, to her family and her joy multiplied with the arrival of her grandchildren - Phoenix, Lauren, Christopher, Sage, and Luke - each of whom held a special place in her heart and brought her immense pride and happiness.
Ran Ja was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church. From having a strong Christian education at Ewha University in Korea, to being an active member of the United Methodist Church in Singapore where she founded a program teaching Korean expatriates' children, to organizing Korean American festivals at the Port Charlotte Methodist Church in Florida, Ran Ja was always involved in teaching children the importance of the Christian faith. Ran Ja had a profound love for music and expressed this passion through her active participation in the choir at the Korean Church of Atlanta United Methodist Church, where her voice and presence uplifted those around her. She was also a member of the Ewha Women's University choir in Atlanta. As an Ewha alumna, Ran Ja always looked forward to spending quality time with fellow alumnae at various events and functions in the Atlanta area for the past twenty years.
Ran Ja also found great peace and fulfillment in gardening, particularly in cultivating orchids, reflecting her appreciation for beauty and patience. She planted and nurtured a fig tree which yields hundreds of fruit that she shared every year with neighbors and friends.
Ran Ja will be remembered for her generous spirit, nurturing heart, and steadfast devotion to God, her family and community. Her legacy of love, kindness, and quiet strength will continue to resonate in the lives of all who were blessed to know her.
May she rest in peace, and may her memory be a source of comfort and inspiration to all.
The family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Korean Church of Atlanta United Methodist Church (3205 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth, GA 30096).
Online condolences may be expressed at www.crowellbrothers.com. Arrangements by Crowell Brothers Peachtree Chapel Funeral Home, 5051 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Norcross/Peachtree Corners, GA 30092. (770)448-5757.