Kim Song Rice's Obituary
Kim Song Ja was born during the Korean War on April 8, 1952,to Kim Fong Hyun and So Hee Suh into humble beginnings in Seoul, Korea. In her early teens, her mother passed away. She and a sister, one year younger were raised by a younger sister of their deceased mother. The three of them were like inseparable sisters. As the sisters grew older they learned to fend for themselves and continued into their adult years. In 1975, her life changed. She was introduced to an American serviceman serving in Seoul, Korea. Although unable to speak or understand English, she managed to become an ambassador of good will, and an excellent tour guide for the serviceman. They continued seeing the cultural and scenic sights around Seoul and neighboring areas, and became very good friends. Her life changed dramatically when the serviceman completed his tour of duty in Korea in January 1978. It took a long time to get all the paperwork completed for her to emigrate to the U.S. on a fiancé visa. Soon after her arrival she married her serviceman tourist and became Mrs. James Rice in Ft. Hood, Texas on December 15, 1978. Now she had become the tourist. They spent the next 35 years traveling, as vacation time allowed. A year after their marriage her husband was transferred to Germany. Before leaving Texas, she made two more personal commitments. She learned about her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and was baptized. She became a Naturalized American Citizen. In September 2003, immediately after arriving in Oklahoma, her ‘Alice in Wonderland’ life got turned upside down~cancer. For the next eleven years, she suffered through numerous CT scans, PET scans, many operations and the associated pains and discomfort associated with each. Through it all, ever to her very last days, she never lost her love, trust and assurance in her Savior, Jesus Christ. Her high spirit and continued trust in her God never wavered and was a great testimony to all who knew her, as well as many who did not know her but knew of her. Kim was once interviewed on a Korean language radio Gospel ministry station in Phoenix AZ. Kim was one of His disciples, here and abroad. Jim used to encourage Kim to get a hobby. She had a free-time activity, reading her Bible, completely through, over half dozen times. She hand wrote the four Gospels, completely, in a notebook. She had a mission in life, wanting to know Christ more, deeper and stronger than the average person. Her love and trust is what got her through the last half of her life, especially the last eleven years of her life, and particularly, the last weeks of her very extraordinary life. God went to great length to bring Kim and Jim together, half way around the world. Jim is a much better person for having spent almost 35 years with Kim and experiencing her great faith, exhibited by only a few. She was one of the great of the few. Kim was Jim’s greatest souvenir on all their travels. Truly one of a kind, Jim’s Miss Kim Song Ja, Jim’s wife, Mrs. Rice, a child of God, Jim loves you. Kim’s task on earth has been completed. She has gone to her great reward. Kim has her room in His mansion. God rest her soul. Kim is survived by her husband, James, of Broken Arrow, her sister, Kim Song Soon, of Seoul, Korea and her husband, two nephews and their families, of Seoul, Korea, brother-in-law and his wife, Robert and Faye of Tulsa, and two nephews, James and David, of Tulsa. Visitation for Kim is 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Thursday, July 24, 2014, with the family greeting friends, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Thursday, July 24, 2014. A celebration of life funeral ceremony will be held 10:00 AM, Friday, July 25, 2014, at the First Baptist Church of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Kim is survived by her loving husband, James Rice of Broken Arrow; stepdaughter, Renee Dockery; sister Kim Song Soon and her husband, of Seoul, Korea; nephews, Young-Jim Kand and his wife, Seung-Yeon Ryu, of Seoul, Korea, and Won-Jin Kand and his wife, Kyong-Hwa Yi, of Seoul, Korea; Aunt Seo Young Hee; brother-in-law Robert Rice and his wife, Faye of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; nephews, James Rice and David Rice of Tulsa, Oklahoma; a very dear and close friend, Yuhyun Simpson of New Jersey. Kim is preceded in death by her parents. Memorial contributions can be made in Kim Song Rice’s name and honor to First Baptist Church Mission Scholarship Fund, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Tulsa Korean Church Building Fund, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma or Clarehouse of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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