
On Wednesday, March 3, 2021, Jaesup Choi (최재섭), devoted husband, father, and grandfather, passed away at the age of 67.
Jaesup was born on December 20, 1953 in Gangwon-do, South Korea. When he was young, he moved to Seoul. After graduating from college in Seoul, Jaesup married Kyunghee Ahn and together, they moved to New York City in 1981. They had two daughters, Marie and Jane, and the family moved to Harrington Park, NJ in 1987. Jaesup received his MBA from St. John’s College of Insurance in 1983, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class. He worked as an insurance executive for many years.
Jaesup loved hiking and found peace in the mountains. Near home, he often hiked in Hudson Valley and the Catskill Mountains. He reached the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro and the Mount Everest base camp, and returned time and again to some of his favorite places: the Canadian Rockies, Zion National Park, and Bryce Canyon. He enjoyed traveling around the world.
Jaesup had a generous spirit and cultivated lifelong friendships. He had a strong moral compass and was meticulous in all aspects of life. He found refuge in the Korean Catholic Church and volunteered much of his time to St. Joseph’s Korean Catholic Church, Korean School of New Jersey, Beautiful Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity.
Above all, Jaesup was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He loved and supported his wife, children, and grandchild unconditionally. He showed his love through sharing life lessons: never live more than 30 minutes from your place of work, live within your means and avoid debt, be generous with the people you love.
In death, Jaesup is reunited with his mother and grandmother whom he loved deeply. He is survived by his wife, Kyunghee, his daughters, Marie and Jane, and his granddaughter, Olivia.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be holding a small, private funeral mass at St. Joseph’s Korean Catholic Church. Friends are welcome to come and say goodbye at a socially-distanced, outdoor memorial on Saturday, March 13 from 11am-4pm at the Choi family home in Harrington Park, NJ. In lieu of flowers and gifts, we welcome contributions in memory of Jaesup Choi to St. Joseph’s Korean Catholic Church or the National Park Service.