Obituary of Yong Chun Kirkham

Schenectady, NY With heavy hearts, the Kirkham family sadly announces the passing of Yong Chun Kim Kirkham 78, known to all as our sweet loving Jeannie of Schenectady on August 7th, 2021, after a brief illness. Jeannie was employed for 28 years at St. Clare’s Hospital where she left a lasting impression with co-workers and made many friends. Jeannie was born in Uijeongbu, South Korea. Her husband James, an Army E6 Sargent fell in love with her while deployed in Korea. He married Jeannie and brought her and their young son back to his home town to live with his family before venturing off to Viet Nam and Cambodia. He realized that being surrounded by loving people should give him peace of mind while he tried to sleep in a sandbag hut next to a helicopter landing zone or rice patty. Jeannie was an exceptional and inspirational women to many who knew her. And those who had the honor of her friendship had nothing but praise and thoughtful words for this special women. Adding Jeannie to the family was one of the richest experiences of our collective souls. That infectious smile and twinkle in her eye always made you feel at ease in any situation. She was famous for her amazing food and making sure everyone was content at every gathering or holiday. We all learned from her on how to think about others instead of thinking about ourselves first. Jeannie is predeceased by her father-in-law Robert Kirkham. Survivors include her loving husband, James Robert Kirkham, her son James Jr, (Lisa) of Schenectady, her daughter Kimberly Lozada (Jason) of Schenectady and her adored granddaughter Hannah Kirkham of Schenectady. Other surviving members include her mother-in-law Jean Kirkham of Schenectady, brother and sister in-in-laws Kathy (Larry) Youtz of Florida, Helen (Vincent) Lecce of Niskayuna, Susan (David) Mennillo of Schenectady, Bobby (Charmaine) Kirkham of Buffalo and Shawn (Beverly) Kirkham of North Carolina, as well as nine nieces and nephews and 12 grand nieces and nephews. James simply thought that he had married a beautiful sweet girl from the other side of the globe, but that act, enriched us all for the better. She will live on in our hearts forever. Funeral Service will be held at 11am, Thursday, August 12 at Jones Funeral Home, 1503 Union Street, Schenectady. Calling hours will be held from 5:00pm to 7:00pm Wednesday, August 11 at the funeral home. To leave a condolence for the family, please visit www.jonesfh.net.