In Memory of Sung Bok (Lee) Hsu(1930 - 2016)

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Name
Sung Bok Lee Hsu
Children
Grace, Annie, Ken
Birth Date
October 9, 1930
Ascension Date
August 16, 2016  
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our beloved sister, Mrs. Sung Bok (Lee) Hsu, of Columbus, Ohio, ascended into the spirit world on Tuesday, August 16, surrounded by her loving family. Mrs. Hsu is one of our elder sisters of faith, who loved True Parents with passion. It is not surprising perhaps that she'd be called to Heaven as we celebrate the 4th anniversary of True Father's Ascension. Mrs. Hsu founded HSU & Co. Natural Foods in 1977, answering Heaven's call to devote herself to help others improving their health and well being. She is survived by her children, Grace (Shinichi) Sasaki, Annie (Scott) Griffin, and Ken (Song Song) Hsu; grandchildren, Mika, Nathaniel, Juli, Lina, Matthew, Jessica, Kevin, Jack and Rachel; and sister, Ho Bok Lee.

Let us join together to support Mrs. Hsu's family during this important time and pray for her victorious transition to a glorious new life in the spiritual world.

Following is an obituary for Mrs. Hsu from her family, and information of the Seonghwa Ceremony.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ki Hoon Kim
Continental Director

Dr. Michael Balcomb
President

Sung Bok (Lee) Hsu, 85, ascended peacefully, surrounded by her family on Tuesday, August 16, 2016 in Columbus, OH. Mrs. Hsu was born on October 9, 1930 in Asan, Korea to Chung Koo Lee and Bok Soon Yang.

Mrs. Hsu is preceded in death by her parents and six brothers and sisters.

She is survived by her children, Grace (Shinichi) Sasaki, Annie (Scott) Griffin, Ken (Song Song) Hsu; grandchildren, Mika, Nathaniel, Juli, Lina, Matthew, Jessica, Kevin, Jack and Rachel; and sister, Ho Bok Lee.

Mrs. Hsu founded HSU & Co. Natural Foods in 1977 before her retirement to the country. She leaves behind a legacy of wellness and good health.

Mrs. Hsu is known not only as a successful business woman, but very much as a person of faith and heart. In speaking of her childhood she would often remark how much she loved and respected her father who was widely known and well respected in the region. A generous man who cared for others and tutored village children in his “so dang” or book house, equivalent to a library. As the seventh child in the family she got to spend a great deal of time with him as he was already retired. How much she cried when totally unexpectedly he passed away while she was in second grade. Before her passing she remarked how much she is longing to be reunited with her father and mother and siblings in the spirit world.

Her long and at times arduous journey towards becoming this great person of faith took a decisive turn in the late 1950’s when her younger sister urged her to listen to the passionate sermons of a young man preaching in a rather small, nondescript house in Seoul. The sign next to the entrance read “Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity”, indicating that its occupants had a vision far beyond the boundaries of the then still desperately poor nation of South Korea.

After attending many prayer and teaching sessions, Sung Bok Lee began to follow and accept the teachings of this young preacher who later would be known around the world as the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

She stayed the course to completing her college studies graduating with high honors. She then received an offer to continue her studies toward a master’s degree in library science from what is now the University of Portland in Oregon, U.S.A. It was at that time that she met a young Chinese gentleman named Mr. John Hsu, giving birth to two daughters, Grace and Annie.

Mr. John Hsu was then hired by Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio to pioneer automation of library registrations with the dawning age of the computer. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hsu was accepted to Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio for their masters program in library science. Over the course of five years, she would complete her second master’s degree. Within that time frame, she gave birth to her son Kenny (the only true Buckeye in her family) and had an opportunity to work at Cleveland State handling foreign languages in the library. Mr. John Hsu was very successful and later would receive an offer to work in information science at The Ohio State University.

Settling in Columbus, Mrs. Hsu stayed busy with raising her children and attending the duties as a homemaker. As the children grew and entered school life, she began to explore ways of productively filling up some of her time during the days. She found that Lutheran Theological University near Bexley, Ohio needed a part time worker in the library cataloging books. It fit her needs well for four and a half years.

Ask people of faith and they will tell you that God has ways of initiating change for a higher purpose if the person is willing to take the leap. While visiting the Ohio State Fair with her children, she would have a chance encounter with a young man at the state fair selling packets of Korean ginseng. Ginseng from Korea! The astonishment triggered early memories of her mother making wine from leaves, rice, and pine leaves for her father as well as vague remembrances of her mother making ginseng drinks for her father as well. Most of all, she recollected the words by Sun Myung Moon emphasizing the preciousness and value of Korean ginseng as a physical messiah for people’s well being. With some funds she had, she bought two boxes of the ginseng packets from the young Unification Church members and took them to visit the only two Korean markets in Columbus, Ohio. She encouraged the store owners to carry the product as a staple item in their stores. Initial success encouraged her to propagate the benefits of Korean ginseng as a means to helping people’s health and she purchased more product. She quit her part time job at the seminary and mustered the courage to begin to sell ginseng door to door. Making money was not her intent. She relished being the bridge for the product from her country to bring better health to others. It became her aspiration and awakened her to a calling that would endure.

Today, HSU & CO. HEALTH FOODS includes three thriving retail stores and a phone/internet order department. Of course, Mrs. Hsu could tell you a great deal about the endless hours of studies and hard work required of her to turn her aspirations into a tangible success.

If she were here now to sum up her life, she would speak for a long time about her pride in her children and their families and the binder of testimonials of the many people she helped find better health. And she would tell us that the love she received from her parents, especially her father and her Heavenly Parent and True Parents made it all possible.

Thank you Mrs. Hsu for all you have done.

Seonghwa Ceremony

Family will receive friends on Sunday, August 21, 2016 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

at Newcomer Funeral Home, NE Chapel

3047 East Dublin-Granville Road

Columbus, OH 43231

The Seonghwa Celebration of Life Service will take place at 7:00 p.m. following the visitation.

A private family service will be held at Blendon Central Cemetery.

For more information, please contact Chris or Mihoko Fox at 614-558-1217.

To share memories and offer sympathy, please visit:

http://www.newcomercolumbus.com/Obituary/124123/Sung-Bok-(Lee)-Hsu/Columbus-Ohio

Seonghwa Ceremony

Time
7:00 PM
Date
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Location
Newcomer Funeral Home: NE Chapel 3047 East Dublin-Granville Road Columbus, OH 43231

Comments (9)

  • Catherine Whitley

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    Working with the Il Hwa Ginseng in New Zealand, we received Mrs Hsu’s news letters, videos and publications, so full of information to help improve people’s health. Thank you so much, you were also helping the people in New Zealand here as well. God blessings with you always.

    Reply

  • Jean Gomis

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    Thanks for your hard work. R.I.P. Mrs Hsu.

    Reply

    • Martin Stephan

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      It was good to know you. Have a good journey to the new world.

      Reply

  • Rita Salaris-Lichtenberg

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    Dear Mrs. Hsu,

    Thank you for your love in my life. In 1988 I stayed with you after 2 surgeries and through the internal cleansing formula I got my energy back and learned a lot about health. I will never forget your investment in my recovery. Then in 2006 we met in Cheongpyeong. Also then you wanted to take care of me after looking at my tongue and invited me to your recovery centre. You never stopped caring. Wishing you a Blessed Transition to Your Eternal Home.

    Reply

  • CAMPAGNE CAMPAGNE

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    THANKS DEAR MRS HSU FOR HELPING SOOOOOOOOOOOO MANY PEOPLE4S HEALTH BETTERMENT WHICH YOU LL SURELY CONTINUE TO HELP FROM SPIRITWORLD
    HOPE TRANSITION WAS OK :GUESS IT’S LIKE SLEEPING AND WAKING UP IN A BRIGHTER PLACE IN HEAVENLY PARENT’S WARM EMBRACEHOPE YOU COME IN DREAMS TO ALL YOU HELPED! 🙂

    Reply

  • CAMPAGNE CAMPAGNE

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    PLEASE COME IB DREAMQ DEAR MRS.HSU:WE’RE WAITING!

    Reply

  • Celeste Vlasic

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    Mrs. Hsu will surely be missed as a pillar in our church community. She always took the time to listen if anyone had health problems, and I remember having wonderful conversations with her during lunch after Sunday Service. Mrs. Hsu would ask me about members she hadn’t seen in a while, concerned for them. With a pure faith, she exemplified the true meaning of an elder sister. Prayers for a smooth transition, and wonderful memories that so many of us share. God Bless You Mrs. Hsu

    Reply

  • Betsy Orman

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    Mrs. Hsu’s remarkable life was a testimony not only to her faith but to her devotion to True Parents. True Father called her the messiah of health and gave her that mission, to establish a foundation for the restoration of natural healing in America. She invested so much in so many. I can never forget how she took care of my brother in law Tom Iversen. When the doctors sent him home to die of cancer, he went to her healing center and came back and lived another five years after her training. I pray that her amazing foundation will not be lost and will continuing blossoming. She was a true pioneer in the field of natural medicine and someone should write her biography! Thank you Mrs. Hsu for all you have done. We have no doubt Father is waiting for you with mission in hand. We love you and send you off with prayer and hugs. Our hearts are also with Grace and the family.
    In Parents,
    Betsy Orman, Edy Iversen and Tom from heaven.

    Reply

  • Edner Pierre-Louis

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    A remarkable woman. I knew of her many years ago going back to the early 80’s on account of her work in the Health Food business, but it wasn’t until she came to New York in the first decade of this century that I came to know, love and respect her. She lived a block from my home in Harlem. I treasure the moments I spent with her and am grateful that in small ways I was able to help out. God bless you, Mrs Hsu. You’re a treasure.

    Reply

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