Dr. Tai M. "Timothy" Chung

Dr. Tai "Timothy" Mok Chung, 89, of Mohnton, passed away on Monday, June 30, 2025, in Reading Hospital. Born in Wonsan, Korea, he was the son of the late Dong Shim and Byung Ai Kim Chung. He was the beloved husband of Jean Insook Chung (deceased 2019) and Ramona T. Chung.

Timothy attended elementary and high school in Korea and graduated from Sung Kyun Kwon University School of Pharmacy, Seoul, Korea. He then relocated to the United States and earned his BS in Public Health from Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, and his Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California.

Timothy was a Staff Pharmacist at Monterey Park Hospital, Monterey Park, CA, before becoming Director of Pharmacy for Reading Rehab Hospital, from 1975-2005. He last worked as a Pharmacist for Walmart/Sam's Club in Reading, before retiring in 2014.

Timothy is survived by his wife, Ramona; his son, Dr. Andrew K. Chung, and daughter-in-law, Lucy K. Chung, of Potomac, MD; his daughter-in-law, Amanda Chung of New York; his grandchildren, Alyssia Chung (Caleb Ho-A-Shoo), Elijah, and Caleb Chung; and his sister, Brenda Kim of Loma Linda, CA.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jean Insook Chung (née Kim), and his son, Dr. Charles K. Chung.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 7:30 PM at Klee Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., One East Lancaster Avenue, Shillington, PA. Visitation will take place from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. A graveside service will follow on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at 10:30 AM at Forest Hills Memorial Park, 390 W. Neversink Road, Reading, PA 19606.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Timothy's honor to the Philadelphia Central SDA Church, 1620 Pine Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19005.

Klee Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., is honored to assist the Chung family. www.kleefuneralhome.com

Personal Thoughts From Son, Dr. Andrew Chung

My father had many interests. He enjoyed camping, fishing, skiing, canoeing, and he toted around a large RV that he and my mother would use to go to many national parks and beaches. He was an exceptional table tennis player and loved to play soccer. He loved to hike, and until he broke his hip last year, he would frequently visit one of his favorite places, Nolde Forest. His love of gardening was evident in his backyard, where he cultivated a quarter-acre plot dedicated to growing all manner of vegetables including garlic, tomatoes, corn and peppers. He took great satisfaction in using his Troy rototiller, enjoying the simple, steady work of working the earth. Beyond his vegetable garden, he also cared for a grove of fruit trees on the five acres surrounding his home-an extension of his love for growing and tending to the land.

He always kept a couple of bird feeders on his deck along with suet logs to feed the woodpeckers and derived much pleasure from bird watching from his kitchen table.

As a pharmacist, he made the decision to leave Los Angeles when I was five years old, driven by two primary reasons: he thought that Los Angeles was a suboptimal influence on his children and he was able to become the chief pharmacist at the Reading Rehabilitation Hospital. In this position, he was allowed to give lectures to patients and the community on far ranging health topics. He loved to educate people on caring for their health.

He was deeply committed to providing my brother and me with a Seventh-day Adventist education, and to make that possible, he worked two jobs for many years. After finishing his day at the Rehab Hospital, he would head to Rite Aid for the night shift. Even on the most exhausting days, he never let us miss our daily family worship.

As a father, he was a tough disciplinarian. He was loving but also kept tight control over our household in many ways. However, as I became older and independent, he would love to discuss many topics, especially current day events. He was a news and weather junkie, and loved to talk about what was happening in government, politics, religion, economics and even sometimes sports.

He was a very gregarious person who loved striking up conversations with family and friends. Even with strangers, he would effortlessly engage people-whether at stores, airports, schools, ball games, out in nature, or special events. His easygoing and friendly manner had a way of bringing out the best in those around him.

However, if you know anything about him, then you will know that his greatest passion was to serve the church and help people accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior. This was the driving force behind his entire life. He loved most of all to talk about God. Whether it be in our family, at church, or out in public, he would love to engage in conversation about God.

He had a deep love for the Philadelphia Central SDA Church, which he helped to establish when it was just three families from Reading, Pennsylvania, gathering in each other's homes. I always knew that when he came to visit me in my adult life, it could not extend to a Sabbath. Those days were sacred, and he would have to go back to Philadelphia so he could be with his church family.

He kept the Sabbath very faithfully. Each Friday afternoon, he would lay out the clothes he planned to wear and tuck a tithe envelope into the pocket of his suit. He would check with his wife about what she planned to wear and faithfully ask what potluck dish they needed to bring that week.

Now, he has left us to be with his true Father, and I have no doubt he will one day welcome us to join him beside the throne.