Kym Dah-Mi Whitehead, age 53, passed away unexpectedly in her home located in Austin, Texas on November 5th, 2022. Kym was born in Seoul, South Korea on September 7th, 1969 and was adopted by Lois and Joel Ambelang at the age of 21 months. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and later moved with her family to Valparaiso, Indiana where she attended Valparaiso High School and graduated with the class of 1987. After high school, Kym eventually moved to Austin, Texas where she enjoyed the music scene and made lots of lifelong friends, including Doreen McIntosh (who Kym later honored by making Doreen her daughter’s middle name) before meeting Robert (Bobby) Whitehead, who she later married on February 14th, 1999. Three years after they were married, Kym gave birth to their only daughter, Bonnie Doreen Seoul Whitehead, who to this day is Kym’s only known blood-relative.
After a few years, Kym realized her passion for volunteer work and started an organization called “Kym Collects Computers”, in which she worked alongside her close friend, Jim Phillips, to repurpose donated computers for the Boys and Girls Club of America.
While still continuing with her volunteer work, Kym began studying dental hygiene at Austin Community College, and graduated with an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene degree in 2014. Shortly thereafter, Kym began working as a hygienist at Airport Dental Care and later became the President of the Greater Austin Hygienists’ Association before kicking her volunteer work into high gear when she began providing dental care for Samaritan Health Ministries, a non profit organization that provides affordable healthcare services to uninsured families in the Austin area. After working with Samaritan Health Ministries for a few years, Kym began a new job at Allan Periodontics + Dental Implants in 2020, where she fell in love with the environment and her wonderful coworkers. She continued working there until she passed away. Kym had an enormously caring heart and loved to stand up for what she believed in. In 2020, Kym became a lead organizer for the Women’s Rights Rally ATX, and continued to help organize many Reproductive Rights rallies from that point forward, as well as several rallies for gun control and safer schools. She also later became involved with the Texas Handmaids, a pro-choice organization that works for reproductive justice statewide. In 2019, Kym and Robert separated, but maintained their long-term friendship and had family dinner with their daughter every Wednesday. Kym also quickly became a legendary supporter of the local punk rock music scene, and spent most of her weekends at Kick Butt Coffee among countless amounts of new, loving friends. A short time later, Kym began dating Jason Dickey, who she fell in love with and later became engaged to.
Kym is survived by her daughter, Seoul Whitehead, her sister, Elizabeth Ambelang Jackson, her brother, Mark Ambelang, her nieces, Sydney and Madelyn Jackson, Meaghan Ambelang, Ellen and Kaitlyn Whitehead, her nephews, Frank and Hunter Whitehead, Matthew and Mark Ambelang, her parents, Joel and Lois Ambelang, her former husband, Robert Whitehead, and her fiance, Jason Dickey.
If you couldn’t tell, Kym loved helping others. The family asks that any donations in her honor be made to The SAFE Alliance, The Boys and Girls Club of America, ASPCA, or any other charity you see fit. Kym wants you to remember to vote, and don’t forget to floss!
A memorial service will be held at Four Seasons Hotel Austin on Sunday November 27, 2022 at 4 P.M.
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