Surrounded by loved ones, Joo Won Pak passed away peacefully in his home on August 29, 2017 after a brief battle with cancer. He will be remembered and cherished by his wife (Ok Hyun Pak), children and their respective spouses - Sonya (Chau), Edward (Kate), and Susan (Peter) and grandchildren (Sachi, Max, Meena, Kaiya, Jakey, Noah & Kenzo) for years to come.

Our parents made the trek to Toronto to start their lives together in 1968. They had very few contacts, little knowledge of the English language and no awareness of this new city - however, they took a leap of faith to make it their home.

They had originally met in Germany where our dad chose to make this journey due to the job opportunities that the country offered. The move was also partly out of necessity since he did not have a place to call home. The impact of the Korean War severed the family that he once knew...due to unforeseen circumstances, he was separated from his parents and several of his siblings. The rules of the North Korean regime meant that he would never be reunited with them again although he heard through others that his parents and siblings likely lived many years after his departure.

Losing his family due to the Korean War would have an impact on the way he viewed the world - the glass was "half-empty" most of the time in his eyes. Yet he was able to leverage his wisdom and understanding of the world into a life that brought him much joy in his later years.

A formal education was the most important value in his eyes. As kids, we knew that the number one way to elicit approval was an exemplary report card (further cementing any Asian stereotypes). When Eddie received an academic award for second place in grade eight, our dad asked why not first? Sonya, whose nature was to replicate our dad's defiance coupled with an insatiable appetite to be curious about everything other than school, caused many years of heartache for our parents when it came to academics. Although she eventually became focused and completed her MBA at Schulich School of Business, our dad's response was - "must not be a very good school." 🙂 The kids joke to this day that the number one point of happiness in our dad's life came about when Susie was accepted into the academically prestigious UTS after grade 6. Nothing would ever compare to that milestone and the occasion was celebrated with a huge banquet with many in attendance.

Our dad's financial discipline coupled with both parents' work ethic helped all of us enjoy a comfortable life in the heart of Etobicoke. This same house would become the hub of many celebratory occasions over the years including wedding rehearsals, holiday dinners and countless birthdays. Happily, the house remains in the family and these special occasions continue with an extended brood.

In his retirement years, our dad was able to enjoy a new passion he discovered when the kids were more independent and funds more plentiful. Golf, which some joke to be a religion for Korean people, was a sport that our dad was able to master and which he thoroughly enjoyed. Our parents would play daily during the golf season and even joked about the time that they played 72 holes in one day in Cuba. Our dad would judge the character of individuals he played with on the course - if you cheated on your scorecard, he never wanted to play with you again. If you were honest and humble in the sport, it was the perfect game.

It is difficult to sum up what we will miss the most about our dad. However, what will be profoundly missed will be his quiet presence and the notion that he was the father figure in our small, but mighty, family.

Since arriving in Toronto almost 50 years ago, his wife, three kids and seven grandkids are reaping the benefits of a vision he created. We are grateful for the foundation and values he has helped set up for us. The most profound lesson from his life is that with perseverance, patience and a huge dose of courage, one can make this life into something beyond wonderful.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to all of our friends and colleagues who have provided their love and support to us these past eight months. We are particularly grateful to Dr. Saleh from William Osler Health System, the amazing nurses and doctors in the emergency department (Trillium Health Partners) and the oncology clinic staff at Queensway Health Centre.

Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to the Canadian Cancer Society, William Osler Health System (Etobicoke Campus), or Trillium Health Partners (Emergency & Urgent Care Program).

A private family celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, September 2.