Wan Jin Jung

1928 - 2019

(News story) Wan Jin Jung of Columbus and formerly of Toledo, a longtime math and science teacher at Sylvania Schools, photographer, and woodworker who was a veteran of the Korean War, died Oct. 3 at Wesley Glen Retirement Community in Columbus. He was 91.

He died in his sleep; he had Parkinson's disease, his daughter, Diana Stacey, said.

Mr. Jung retired from Sylvania Schools in the mid-1990s after nearly 40 years of teaching at different times at McCord Junior High School, Sylvania Southview High School, and most recently at Arbor Hills Junior High School.

"He was a very kind person and he always wanted to help other people. He especially liked teaching," his daughter said, adding that his love of teaching continued to his stay in the retirement community, where he enjoyed lecturing to fellow residents about science and the environment.

"And he was always good with kids. The students liked him. He was creative about getting them to learn from him and to behave in class... And he was quite a jokester. He enjoyed making people laugh," she said.

On weekends, Mr. Jung worked as a wedding photographer almost the whole time he was teaching.

As a self-taught woodworker, he also taught wood shop in the late 1960s through the early 1970s at the YMCA of Greater Toledo and what now is Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo.

In retirement, he moved to Columbus to live closer to his daughter.

Mr. Jung was born Aug. 18, 1928, in Canton, China, to Henry and Yok Yip Jung.

About 1933, at age 5, he was brought to Toledo from Kwangtung, the Chinese province that borders Hong Kong, by his father, who had come to Toledo in 1910 and traveled back and forth.

In 1946, Mr. Jung graduated from Scott High School. While in high school and later, he helped his father and his older brother, George, operate a laundry on Adams street that they owned.

In 1952, he joined the Army and was shipped to Korea, where he served as an interrogator and interpreter in Chinese until his honorable discharge with the rank of corporal in 1954, earning a medal and commendation for meritorious service.

He then returned to Toledo and went to the University of Toledo on his GI Bill, graduating in the mid-1950s with a bachelor's degree in education. Once graduated, he hired on at Sylvania Schools.

In his free time, Mr. Jung enjoyed photography and building and flying model airplanes, many of which he designed himself, his daughter said.

He was preceded in death by four siblings.

Surviving are his daughter, Diana Stacey, and two granddaughters.

A Celebration of Life ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at Ansberg-West Funeral Home, Toledo, where services will immediately follow at 2 p.m.

The family suggests tributes to Read for Literacy, Toledo, or Wesley Glen Charitable Care Fund, Columbus.

This is a news story by Mike Sigov. Contact him at sigov@theblade.com or 419-724-6089.