Wonsuck
Kim, D.O.
June 6, 1961 - January 25, 2021
Wonsuck Kim, D.O., age 59, of Florence, AL, passed away peacefully on January 25, 2021 surrounded by his loving family. A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, January 29, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at Woodmont Baptist Church, with Dr. Tom Phillips officiating.
Dr. Kim is survived by his loving wife of 19 years, Soo Mee Kim; their daughter, Ji Soo Kim; father, Young Boo Kim; mother, Joung Ja Cha; and sisters, Ryomin Kim and children, Lauren Kim and Chad Kim, and Ryowon Kim and husband, Peter Scilipote. Also surviving are his father-in-law, Il Ho Kim; mother-in-law, Kyung Hwa Kim; brother-in-law, Jung Hwan Kim and his wife Youngjin Kim; and their children, Jina Kim and Jioh Kim.
Dr. Kim was born in Seoul, Korea, raised in Pennsylvania and received a B.A. in Chemistry from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. He received his medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1987, completed his Internship in 1988 and Residency in Ophthalmology in 1991 at Ohio University. He completed a Cornea Fellowship at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. He began his practice in Florence as a Cornea Specialist in 1992.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, www.pancan.org
Celebration of Life
January 29, 2021
2:00 pm
Woodmont Baptist Church, Darby Drive, Florence, AL
Celebration of Life
Woodmont Baptist Church, Darby Drive, Florence, AL, USA
January 29, 2021 2:00 pm
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99 Comments on “Wonsuck Kim, D.O.”
Dr. Kim was the sweetest, most compasionist eye doctor I have ever known. He did 2 eye surgeries on me and he was so good. My heart goes out to his wife and daughter.
worked with Dr. Kim when he first came to Florence, such a caring Dr., Prayers for his wife and daughter .
Dr. Kim was such a good doctor. He will be missed by his patients! He was was so kind and understanding.
Worked with Dr. Kim when he was at Valley Eye. I learned so much from him. He loved his patients and he will truly be missed in this community. Prayers for his wife and daughter.
Dr. Kim was an awesome eye specialist. He did eye surgery on my mom twice. He was always so nice and helpful. We will miss him so much. Sending prayers for his family.
I’m so thankful for the friendship that Won and I shared. He was such a caring and loving man who loved his patients as well as his family. He will be missed. Praying for you guys.
Dr. Won Kim has been my friend for almost 30 years. We worked together at Valley Eye for six years and we have maintained that friendship after we both left there. He was really so much more than just my friend. He was my mentor, my advisor, and my confidant.
He was an excellent surgeon and ophthalmologist. There are so many people in this area that benefitted from his knowledge and skill.
Won, you will be missed greatly by all your friends, patients, co-workers and family. Thank you for all that you taught me.
I will see you again!
Dr. Kim was one of the most kind and passionate doctors I have had the pleasure of knowing, he was my Ophthalmologist for many years, he will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. Prayers for all of his family.
From reading previous comments, it touched my soul to realize how many people’s lives Dr. Kim influenced. To know Dr. Kim was to admire and respect his compassion, work ethic, and knowledge. I owe my same career goals to Dr. Kim because he instilled in me years prior the importance of great patient care. Dr. Kim wasn’t only the nicest person/doctor you’d ever meet, but he had some jokes that would make your side hurt! My deepest condolences to his precious family and the many friends and coworkers that will forever cherish his memories. ❤️
Dr. Kim has been my eye doctor for several years. Thank you for being a wonderful person and a great man. I will never forget all the great talks that we had about our daughters every time I would come in the office over the years. I will miss you greatly. You are a blessing to so many.
Our deepest sympathies go out to the entire Kim family in your time of extreme grief. Wonsuck was a very precious person, quick with a smile, and quicker in showing his love for and pride in his family. A great guy and cherished soul. We send our condolences, will keep you in our thoughts, and his memory in our hearts.
So very sad to hear of Won’s passing. I will always remember him as a kind and measured man; I have no doubt his patients loved him for his calm, reassuring demeanor, and his disarming smile. He will be missed by many, taken too soon by a disease that has seemed in my experience to steal from us the very best and the brightest.
We are so sorry for your loss. We are praying for God’s peace and comfort for your family.
It’s with sadness to hear of Dr Kims passing. I was talking with a friend just yesterday about his kind nature and I’d missed seeing him on my last visit a few weeks ago. Dr Kim will be greatly missed. He was a kind and compassionate man who loved each of his patients. Each time I saw him I knew he really cared and was concerned about the problems I had with my eyes. He listened to his patients and always explained treatment in a way that you knew he cared that it would help you get better. May God bless and comfort his family and his coworkers as only He can. Dr Kim, you were a wonderful doctor and will be missed indeed.
Mrs. Kim and family, we are so sorry to hear about Dr. Kim,, He was a very precious man and a great doctor..
Please know that our thoughts and Prayers are with you all .. May God comfort and strengthen you all.
Olen and Nancy Johnson
Good man and great Doctor
Mrs. Kim , daughter and extended family,
It is with great sadness that I am signing the guestbook of Dr. Kim. Dr. Kim has been my opthalmologist for many years. I always enjoyed my visits with him because I always knew he was a caring and dedicated doctor for all his patients. He was always so kind and listened to your concerns and made you feel like you were the most important patient he had. Not only was he concerned about your eye health he would also inquire about your family. I always enjoyed seeing the beautiful pictures of his wife and daughter that were hanging in his treatment rooms. You could tell he really love them very much and how proud he was of them by sharing the pictures with his patients. I was not able to see Dr. Kim at my last appointment due to him being out on medical leave and I missed that. He was a kind and caring man/physician and he will be greatly missed by his patients, coworkers, many friends and especially by his family. May God’s loving arms surround each of you with his love, peace grace and comfort be felt by all who knew Dr. Kim. God Bless and Keep you in his watch care in the days, weeks and months ahead.
Dr Kim was a wonderful Dr that helped do many people including my mom. Sad that this cancer has no cure. Prayers for his family members !!
Dr Kim did eye surgery on my Mom twice he was so kind to her like she was his mom and that made my heart warm lm praying for his wife and family I am glad I got chance to meet such a nice person (RIP) my friend.
Love to you and all of your family. IAHS 1979 Class
Won attended the IAHS Class of 1979 Reunion in Indiana, PA. For those that attended, we were blessed to have seen Won that fall of 2019. This was a two day event and typical Won made time to go visit the parents that impacted his life. Me and my class mates could write a book filled with “Wonsuck” stories that embodied his humor and passions for Church, music, and sports (mostly baseball).
We love you Won! God bless you and your family.
One of the best person that I have even met. I’m deeply saddened that he is gone but he is in heaven.
This is a loss for the community. Wan was a good humored, bright,caring ophthalmologist. He will be missed.
Dr. Kim was a kind and compassionate doctor who took great care of his patients I will always remember him he will be missed Sorry for this loss
Dr. Kim was the kindest and most caring physician that I have ever known. I miss him greatly.
Dr. Kim will be missed, my prayers for his wife and daughter. I worked with him 20 years ago and when I returned over 10 years later he remembered me immediately at a professional meeting. He always cared so much for his patients and worked so hard to give them the best care. I will always remember his humor and compassion.
Dr. Kim was a compassionate and excellent doctor. He did cataract surgery on me and I saw him as my ophthalmologist. I send prayers to the family and praying you will be comforted by God as you go through the days ahead.
To the family of Dr. Kim.
My mother was one of his first patients when he came to Florence. Soon thereafter, I became one of his patients. He was so medically wise in more than his profession. Diagnosed and helped in my mother’s Myasthenia Gravis disease treatment in 1993. His warm heart and calmness was so appreciated. In later years we got to share many happy events at Randolph School where is daughter and my grandson attended. He was a friend to so many of us and will be greatly missed. May his family know he was loved by so many. May he Rest In Peace.
To the family of Dr Kim,
You and your family are in my thoughts & prayers during this time, I began seeing Dr Kim in 2008 and knew I was in great hands with my health. He was a very kind and compassionate physician and my family and I are very happy he was able to have me as a patient of his.
Dr. Kim was my parents, my late husband, and my ophthalmologist. He did my cataract surgery last January and I’m so thankful he was able to do it. My husband passed away from pancreatic cancer 11 years ago. I have prayed for him and his family as I understand this terrible disease. God bless you all.
I have read so many of the tributes for Dr. Kim. All of them written with respect, love and admiration. Dr. Kim was one of the “good guys” in medicine. He was caring, compassionate, and loved his family and patients. Thank you to his wife and daughter for sharing him with all of us patients. We will miss his expertise, but most of all that infectious smile and generous spirit. God bless you all.
Dr Kim miss you. The best. Worked with him at the surgery center. . Never a dull moment. Bless his family. Heaven has a angel
Dr. Kim. This man is not only my eye doctor for years but he was my friend , like a family member of sorts. He called me meanness and we would both laugh, I called him meaner than I was. I love him with my whole heart. We talked over the years about family friends and way too many jokes that I laughed so hard at that he would have to wait on my tears to go away to finish my exam. Prayers for his beautiful wife and daughter and their families during this time. Just know there may be another man out their who might come close but their will never be one I think so highly of. RIP Dr. Kim, I hope to see you when my time comes, love you big buddy.
The shoals area lost a great Dr. I loved Dr. Kim, he had a good bedside manner and was a great eye surgeon. He did cancer surgery on my eye. He was so careful not to hurt me. I looked forward to seeing him. To all his family I am so sorry for your loss. You are in my prayers!
Dr. Kim saved my husband’s eyesight! He was with us until the end of my husband’s life. I also became a patient. I can’t tell you how many times we shared the events of his family and the wonderful vacations he and his family took to my little corner of the world. We always chatted about the special places to stay, restaurants not to be missed, and the ski slopes to experience!!! I hope his family continues to frequent those special places and treasure the many family memories they shared. He was so proud of his wife and daughter. It is with great difficulty and many tears that I write this note. Dr. Kim was the same age of my oldest son! I will always feel he was one of my family–he accepted being ‘adopted’ by me! I truly want his family to know how much he was loved by myself and my husband!
May God protect and comfort you as you go through this time.
We’ve lost one of the world’s kindest souls. For as long as I knew him (we were in elementary school together), he always made time for everyone he came into contact with, really listening, engaging and caring. Others have similar stories, but on one of his trips back to Indiana PA he and his wife made the effort to visit my mom. She (and I) were so appreciative. Much love to all of Won’s family. I hope you will take some comfort in knowing how many lives he touched in such a meaningful way.
Like Joe, Lynn, and Rocky, having Won in our lives if only for are earlier years was a gift filled with awesome memories. Knowing that he is no longer amongst us in the flesh is a hard reality to imagine; Knowing his spirit is amongst those that guides us, comforting. From me, my mother and family, our hearts go out to Soo Mee, Ji Soo, his parents, and family.
I first met Wonsuck as an elementary school classmate in Indiana, PA shortly after his family moved to the US. He later was my lab partner in 9th grade Biology. It was tough for me, yet he was kind and helpful and helped me get through a challenging year. He traveled back for almost every class reunion and everyone has fond memories of their time with him. My sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and patients.
Dr. Kim was my dad’s eye doctor. He was always so nice & patient. We saw that same compassion when he told us my sweet granddaughter was blind. I pray a peace of mind for his family in knowing to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. God bless you all!
Dr. Kim will be missed by so many people in the Shoals area.Like all have said,he was the most kind and caring person.
Loved looking forward to seeing him. Praying for all the family.
We are very saddened to hear about the passing of Wonsuck. He always seemed to have such a calmness and maturity about him. We know he meant the world to his family and will greatly missed.
Just learned the sad news today from a fellow high school graduate of Wonsuck’s passing. Heartfelt condolences to his family, He was a friendly and kind soul who I had the pleasure of knowing through church and high school in Pennsylvania. As a fellow member of the medical profession , I’m certain he will be sorely missed by those he cared for in his practice ,
The community has lost a fantastic Doctor, Mentor and friend to all he met .
I will always remember his quick wit, his smile and the genuine caring manner he had for his patients.
We met when I worked for Valley Eye and my respect for him was forged there.
God Speed Dr. KIM
Robin Henry
So very sorry he was my parents eye doctor for years. Saved my dads eyesight. Prayers for his family
What can I say about an amazing man. He loved his work but more importantly, He adored his wife and daughter. On my last visit with him we were able to have a friend to friend conversation about family , life and future. His eyes would light up talking about his family. You could tell that even though he loved his work . He loved his family more. You will surely have an empty place but remember his love, joy and laughter. Bless you all
Farewell to such a fine colleague and friend. He was an excellent ophthalmologist and a true physician. His sense of humor was superb – on at least one occasion, sitting next to Won at an ophthalmic meeting, he leaned over and whispered something so funny that I was called out by the speaker for laughing uncontrollably. Meetings will not be the same without him. Won was respected throughout the ophthalmic community for his dedication to his patients and to his devotion of after-hours time to leadership roles. He will be greatly missed.
My heart is broken 💔 . Dr. Kim sent me to Huntsville to get my face fixed from a stroke that covered my eye. I was grateful for him. He was a great man. I was sitting in the chair on 1 visit and he asked me where I got my shoes that his girl would love them. Great memories I will carry with me. RIP Dr. Kim.
I am saddened to learn of Dr. Kim’s passing. I was so grateful for the referral to him when I moved back to Florence. He was always encouraging and careful in explaining all options and timing regarding cataract surgery. I knew that I could trust him completely when it was time to go ahead with the surgery and he was expressed confidence that all would go well. A wonderful caring Dr. who enjoyed making his patients laugh and relax in his office. He will be greatly missed in the community. Prayers being lifted to the Lord for his family, patients , friends, and co-workers.
I had the great fortune to meet Won through his work advocating for quality eye care for patients. His words were always humbly spoken, but with passion, careful thought and great wisdom. He truly has touched and impacted so many lives.
It was so beautiful reading the comments here from others, I hope hiis family can take comfort in knowing what a wonderful person he was . I also was his patient for a long time & always felt the love & concern this Dr. showed to me & my husband Tom . I doubt I will ever find a dr. that cared more than Dr. Kim . i miss him so much .
Won was a great physician, and I’m proud to have known him as a colleague. We served on an American Academy of Ophthalmology committee together, and I always appreciated his ideas and commitment. He always worked with a sense of joy, and a duty to his patients. He made great contributions to our field, and he will be missed, but not forgotten. May his memory be eternal.