Obituary of Yong Je CHUN

Just before midnight, on December 3, 2010, Mr. Yong Je Chun passed away after a long, hard fought battle with cancer. Mr. Chun was born in South Korea, the fifth child of a local town police chief. He and his family survived the ravaging effects of the Korean War. He was naturally gifted in languages and was known in his family to be extremely bright and ambitious. He went to Germany to work for three years while engaged to his wife Lucy. There, he made many good friends, became fluent in German, saved money to support his family and fianc back in Korea, and his upcoming plans to start a new life in Canada.The newlyweds arrived in the late 1960s. Because of his fluency in German, they settled in Kitchener, Ontario, which had a large German speaking population at that time. Soon thereafter, he obtained full certification as an electrician, and had a new baby daughter, Rosaleen. The family relocated to St. Thomas, Ontario, where his second child, Thomas, was born. Mr. Chun was a quiet, loving and private man. He conversed fluently in English, Korean, Japanese, German, and could read basic Chinese. He was also very proud and dedicated to be Canadian. Being an avid hiker, he enthusiastically supported the Trans Canada Trail. He was an active member of seniors groups in both Waterloo and Calgary, and was a fervent advocate of the humanist philosophy. He will be dearly missed by all who have had the privilege of experiencing his wry sense of humor, his frank manner, his kind patience and generosity, and most of all, his unconditional love. He is survived by wife, Lucy Chun; daughter Dr. Rosaleen Chun; son Thomas Yong Lee Chun, P.Eng.; son-in-law Dr. Andrew Kirkpatrick; daughter-in-law; Jeong Ah Kwon; as well as grandchildren, Tiana, Kyra and Bryce. The family is grateful for the care given to Mr. Chun by Dr. Richard Tsang, Princess Margaret Hospital; Dr. Voroney, Foothills Medical Center; members of the Home Enteral Nutrition program and the Dyspnea Clinic; Christie Schaeffer and team of Palliative Home Care; and Dr. Dina Radinskaia, Dr. Ian Kroll and the staff at Intercare Chinook Hospice. Vital spark of heav'nly flame, Quit, oh, quit, this mortal frame! Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying, Oh, the pain, the bliss of dying! Cease, fond Nature, cease thy strife, And let me languish into life! - Alexander Pope