Jiae C. Knez

 
JIAE CHOI KNEZ   
Jiae Choi Knez, a Korean film and radio actress, political activist, community leader, businesswoman, and pastor, who lived in Washington, D.C., from 1959 to the 1979, died on August 5, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jiae Choi Knez was an accomplished foreign actress who made several first feature films in Korea during the 1940's and 1950's. Mrs. Knez was also a spokeswoman for the Voice of America and a political activist for the Republic of South Korea during the Korean War. Later, while living in Washington, D.C., she was active as a performing artist, business woman, community activist, and church deacon. From the 1990's to the present, Mrs. Jiae Knez lived in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she was ordained a minister and became the first Korean Women Pastor for the Assembly of God Church in the state of Hawaii. Pastor Choi (Knez) established one of the first churches that was operated by a woman pastor for the Korean community. The cause of death was from complications associated with a kidney infection. Jiae Choi was married to Dr. Eugene I. Knez (deceased), a Smithsonian Institution anthropolgist. She is survived by her daughter, Pamela and son, Alan. A funeral service at Arlington National Cemetery will be held on November 3, 2011 at 11 a.m. in the Old Chapel.