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Luke Kim Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Luke Kim
Guy and Akemi Turner
July 14, 2022
When my wife and I think of Luke and the Kim family, it really warms our hearts and I get a flood of very wonderful thoughts of time and places, too many to list. Akemi tells me she will forever remember Luke's genuine warm and peaceful smile. Every thing Luke did was with a inner sense of peace, with sincerity and kindness. He was the most authentic person I have ever met. We miss Luke and Grace being close in Davis. He is a role model for every human. We are sure he is a Saint in heaven smiling and watching over all of us. We are forever grateful that the good Lord placed Luke and Grace in our lives. His name and legacy provides us all a road map for justice. Loving and missing Luke.
RJ McHatton
October 25, 2015
Luke Kim was the greatest man I ever met. He had all the attributes you think of when you hear the word hero. Luke and his wife Grace changed my life forever. They opened my eyes to a world of kindness, caring for others, gentle tenacity, looking out for the underdog, and the importance of family. My younger brother always says that he used to be Republican until he met Grace and Luke. He said he instantly became Democrat that day he met the Kims. I agree with my brother. Over the past ten years I was fortunate to become friends with Grace and Luke. I won't ever forget the thousands of remarkable moments. Thank God I met Luke. I am a better person because of the integrity, character, and humble kindness that Luke showed me. There really are no words to describe how amazing a man was he.
March Fong Eu
August 2, 2015
Words cannot describe the positive impact you have made on the lives of so many. Your legacy lives on and we are all blessed by it. I am so honored to know you and Grace.
Karen Kim
July 23, 2015
Grace, David, Danny, and families,
Luke was one of the most quietly charismatic, humble, and caring people I've ever had the privilege to know. He and Grace changed my life when I moved to Sacramento and didn't know anyone. They were warm and generous with their time, their guidance, and their encouragement, and I don't know if I'd be where I am without them. Luke's quiet smile and strong handshake will always stay with me, and I consider it having been an honor to have known him and to have served the community with him. He will be missed, but I know he did more in his lifetime than most could have accomplished in three lifetimes. Much love and condolences to you all.
Ed Kim
July 23, 2015
Dr. Luke Kim will always be remembered as a pioneer in psychiatry and a tireless advocate for the Asian American community. But to me, he will always be my uncle, perhaps the most kind and thoughtful man I have known, who planted the roots for our thriving family in the United States and served as a huge inspiration for all of us. Uncle's presence and influence will be felt for generations to come.
This was take in September 2013 when I last visited with Luke and Grace in Los Angeles.
Mark Keam
July 21, 2015
Dr. Luke was a true inspiration to me and to all of the 1.5 and second generation of Korean Americans who needed validation that our work on behalf of our community was worthwhile. Over the past two decades, he and Grace went out of their ways to support me in all of my professional and personal work. They encouraged me to continue to fight for the rights of immigrants and others who felt their voices were not heard by their government. They were selfless with their financial and other resources, and they always put service above self. I will be forever indebted to them for their love and support, and I will continue their legacies by giving back to others. Thank you Dr. Luke for all you did for me!
July 21, 2015
Grace, David, Danny & families,
Your Dad was not only a scholarly man but one of great friendship and sharing. We have been privileged to be in many family functions over the past 10 years. Your Dad always had time for us and sharing. We will miss him and always remember the good times with
"Uncle" as he has been called by our grand daughter, daughter and son-in-law. It is wonderful to be part of this Luke & Grace Kim family through knowing you all and sharing friendship. Wishing Peace and Condolences to all.
Larry & Mary Anne Facey
July 21, 2015
Luke and Grace Kim attending granddaughter Tessa's high school graduation in McLean, VA, June 2013.
July 21, 2015
Luke and Grace Kim, June 2013.
July 21, 2015
Luke Kim with oldest son David, summer 2013.
July 21, 2015
July 21, 2015
July 21, 2015
At Stanford University, late '60s or early '70s.
July 21, 2015
William Min
July 20, 2015
My deepest condolences to Grace and the family. His passing is a great loss to our community. I met Luke and Grace through the Korean American Coalition many years ago. His dedication, leadership and service will surely remain as a positive beacon in the hearts of the younger generation.
Elizabeth Dawes Kim, MD
July 18, 2015
Dr. Kim was a role model to me as a Korean American, a psychiatrist and as a person who was compassionate and resilient.
Paul Hersch
July 17, 2015
We have lost a kind,loving and generous man. Luck and Grace were our neighbors and good friends in Davis. We remained friends even after we left Davis in 1983,We send our condolences to the family.blessings from Millie & Paul Hersch.
Jill Bloom
July 17, 2015
My deepest condolences to Dr.Kim's family.I worked with Dr.Kim for several years,he was loved by staff & coworkers.Drl.Kim was generous with his vast knowledge & treated ever one he knew kindness & respect? He was so very kind.His work touched & improved many lives.He is now in a peaceful place and will be missed by many .His struggles are now over.He will be remembered by ,many as a great humanitarian.
Marian Derby
July 17, 2015
Luke was a strong spiritual presence at the Davis Community Church. What a joy it was to have Luke and Grace with us in Davis. Luke left us with a wonderful - and historic - memoir of his life!
Guy & Akemi Turner
July 17, 2015
We met Luke and Grace about 10 years ago. We feel so blessed to know such beautiful people. Luke has been a role model in all good ways. Kind, generous, joyful, humble, artistic, intelligent and happy. He always had such a beautiful genuine smile. We admire Luke and his services to the society and hearing about his life story which he freely shared. It was always amazing. It's a great loss to the world as our world so needs people like Luke. We know many people will miss Luke. We miss him dearly too. Our hearts and thoughts are with Grace and family. We celebrate Luke's beautiful life with you all.
Prayerfully,
Guy & Akemi Turner
Lisa Scott-Lee
July 16, 2015
Dr. Kim was generous with his time and knowledge serving the community and we all benefited.
My sincerest condolences to Grace and Dr. Kim's family.
Dr. Kim's legacy will live on in all of us.
July 16, 2015
Although I never had the privilege of meeting Dr. Kim, I am one of many beneficiaries of his wisdom which lives on through his scholarly work and mentorship of so many psychiatrists. It is wonderful to have a community of other Korean American psychiatrists through AKAP. My deepest condolences to the family.
Mary Ahn, MD
Director, Career Development and Research Office
Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Dewey Doo-Young Ryu
July 16, 2015
Luke has been a very influential mentor for me for the past 30 years. He will be missed very much and remembered for a long time to come by many of our friends in Davis and Sacramento CA area for his outstanding professional service to the Korean-American community.
July 15, 2015
July 15, 2015
Cynthia Goldberg
July 15, 2015
This wonderful, gentle, surprising man will be missed. He and Grace were an important part of our lives in Northern California. My hugs from afar go to his partner in all things, Grace.
Elisa Sheneman-Stone
July 15, 2015
My parents, who have both passes, would want me to send my consoleless to your family. Hielke and Jack Sheneman were fellow congregants at DCC. Blessing to your whole family.
July 15, 2015
Dear Grace, and David and Danny,
My deep condolences to Grace and family on the loss of a loving husband and father!
I used to meet Luke at least once a year from 1977 for next 25 to 30 years. I think I was his trusted aid in my younger days, mostly running errands from booking restaurants to bring carry-out Chinese foods to meeting rooms of convention hotels. I did not mind at all and liked his idea of unifying various factions, usually by their alma maters, of KA psychiatrists. I had a different idea later on as to the direction of AKAP and I may not have been as close as I had been before but always respected his passion for his profession and AKAP. He asked me to write a book chapter he was initially invited to write, Kim, W., Kim, L., Rue, D., Korean American children. In: Transcultural Child Development: Psychological Assessment and Treatment, G. Johnson-Powell, J. Yamamoto, (eds.), 183-207, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Philadelphia, PA., 1997. I'm not sure whether David did some editing but we have 3 coauthors who were idealistic in their own ways. I have been thankful for his mentoring though the mentee was not always listening. I'm not sure whether I conveyed my appreciation in words but hope he knew it through his keen sense of observation. I remember the last meeting at Wooraeok in DC several years ago when Grace and Luke joined the AKAP meeting. He looked and sang better than I expected. And I have countless fond memories together with Luke and Grace. There were times Grace was busy and did not accompany Luke to meetings. He was so proud of Grace and his children and I saw beaming smiles when he spoke of you.
I know Luke suffered from parkinsonism and I hope he did not suffer too much in the last stage of his life, now resting peacefully. I'm sure he was a rich man emotionally though not physically surrounded and cared for by loving wife and children.
I'm sorry that I am not able to attend the farewell events but my thoughts are with you.
Sincerely,
Wun Jung
Wun Jung Kim, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor and Director
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
RWJMS/ Rutgers, NJ
William Chu
July 15, 2015
( 1) 80-90 . 201412 .
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-- (5)
Sophia Kim
July 15, 2015
Thank you for all you did to progress humanity , including the Korean American community and the prison population.
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