An unheralded good man gone

Dr. Tae Won Kim died last week. I knew him. He was an EC physician at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital for some 30 years, starting there when he was the sole EC doctor, weekdays only, in a green-tiled six-room, back hall area, now the hallway to the cafeteria. He was a quiet, calm, good-hearted Christian man, who, along with his wife, Joo, dedicated their personal lives to serving as mentors for native Korean students at the local schools and working tirelessly in their Korean church community.

Although Dr. Kim and Joo were usually quiet and calm, I do remember the time we went with them to Montgomery, Ala., to protest the removal of the Ten Commandments Memorial from the courthouse rotunda. As we stood in the heat of the day on those stone steps and prayed with hundreds of others, they were putting their faith to action, unafraid of consequences.

In these days of isolation, Dr. Kim’s passing went largely unnoticed and unmemorialiized. He is now with the One he and his wife loved and honored in life. He was my friend.

Andrew Misulia

Columbus, Miss.