Obituary of Jeanne Chong Son Gourlay

Jeanne Chong Son Gourlay, age 93 of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 12, 2022 at the Villa at St. Louis Park.

Jeanne was born in Chonan, South Korea. She survived the Korean hostilities, and settled in Seoul, South Korea where she worked as a secretary with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She met and married a member of USAID and sought service with him in Korea and Cambodia. They later moved to the United States in 1963. Although Jeanne’s first language was Korean, she was multilingual in Japanese and English. Her fluency in English enabled her to achieve a high-level secretarial position for a USAID official during the Korean War. She took considerable pride in her job responsibilities, especially her typing speed and accuracy (on the typewriter in those days) that easily surpassed the other typists!

Always attuned to style, Jeanne appreciated a classic look as evidenced by her taste in fashion and decor. Her fondness of the color red showed in her wardrobe and home decorating choices. Standing barely 5-feet in height, she preferred wearing high-heeled shoes to boost her petite stature but was just as comfortable in flip-flops or sneakers.

As a woman who cherished artistic pursuits, she enjoyed singing, writing poetry, cooking, baking, sewing, knitting and gardening, therein instilling these interests in her children and granddaughter. A treasured memory is the time she sewed matching dresses for herself and her two preschool-aged daughters that won first place in a local fashion show. For this and her other endeavors, she remained modest and diligent. 

Jeanne is remembered for her steadfast love of family, gentle spirit, and for being an unassuming woman who selflessly cared for others. She delighted in being a mother and raising two daughters who went on to pursue careers as accomplished health professionals. She also adored being a grandmother to her beautiful granddaughter.

Jeanne is survived by her two children, Linda and Margaret, and her granddaughter, Alexandra. A private celebration of Jeanne’s life will be held among family members. A special word of thanks to the compassionate, attentive, hard-working staff at the Villa at St. Louis Park who provided the best care to Jeanne when multiple serious medical issues arose, and who kept her comfortable until the end. Our family is forever grateful for all who loved and cared for Jeanne during her long, resilient life.