Joo Young Sohn

Joo Young Sohn, 76, of Elgin, Texas, passed away peacefully on February 8, 2023. He was a selfless and giving person who dedicated his life to God with a career in ministry that spanned over 45 years until his retirement in 2017. Joo Young overcame a great deal of adversity in his life and despite all of that, he wanted to help others as a spiritual counselor and public figure for the Korean-American community.

Joo Young was born November 26,1946 in Seoul, South Korea to his parents, Ho Gong Sohn and Noh Ma Kwak. Early on as a child during the Korean War, he experienced a traumatic event that shaped his whole life. At the age of 4, he was severely injured from multiple gunshot wounds on his leg and arm that resulted in crippling him and also suffered the loss of his older sister. The exact details for this are unknown. However, it took him years to recover. The fact he was able to walk was a true miracle! This led him to his calling; serving his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He did so as an Associate, Assistant and Senior Pastor with several church organizations throughout his ministry career.

As a student, he was awarded a unique scholarship by reciting the entire book of Matthew from memory to Chung-Ang University, in Seoul, South Korea. He received his Ph. B (Philosophy) and continued his education at both Seoul and Chong Hwea Theological Seminary for his M. Div (Master of Divinity). He immigrated to California in 1980 after getting married to Young Uk Choi and started a happy family together in 1983. He continued his education later in life and received a D. Min (Doctorate of Ministry) from Fuller Theological Seminary in June of 1987. He accepted a Senior Pastor position following his graduation in Murray, Utah at Utah Oriental Mission Church (UOMC). The congregation he led grew to one of the largest within the state’s Korean-American community and was able to purchase their own building, which was very notable at the time. He also worked as Chairman of the Utah Pastor’s Association and was highly regarded as a community leader.

In 1997, Pastor Sohn felt compelled to start a new church and was led to Long Island, New York where he established Long Island Oriental Mission Church. He worked very diligently to grow an intimate congregation and also established a Korean language academy for K-12 students that would be in session every Saturday morning. However after a few years in New York, he was asked to return to Utah by UOMC to come back as Senior Pastor in 2001.

Another unfortunate event occurred where he lost his wife in an pedestrian-auto accident that left him widowed and became a single parent in June 2002. He eventually was remarried to Esther Park in October of 2004. Shortly afterwards in 2006, Joo Young and Esther Sohn found their way to Texas to start up Austin Oriental Mission Church. Joo Young continued his ministry in Texas until 2017, after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Due to his health, he lived a quiet and peaceful remainder of his life with Esther in Elgin, Texas.

Although many remember him as a serious person, he possessed a childlike innocence that was adored by those who knew him. At times, there was a very silly side to him that was rarely seen in public and would chuckle uncontrollably once he got started. The way he showed his love to his parishioners was by listening and providing spiritual guidance. To his family, it was through food, movies, and prayer.

Joo Young is survived by his wife Esther and his two sons, Moses and Joshua and his step-daughter So Hyun. He was preceded in death by his parents and first wife, Young Uk Sohn.

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Funeral Service Information:

Funeral services will be held at Valley View Memorial Park & Funeral Home on Saturday, February 18, 2023 @ 2 pm MST. There will also be two viewing periods held on Friday, Feb. 17 @ 6-8 pm & Saturday, Feb. 18 @ 1-2 pm MST.

For those who can not attend the service, we will also offer a livestream event via Zoom @ 2 PM Mountain Time.

● https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82021090661?pwd=OHQyTGtwdkkyMEZMV3pVMzJMZ1p3Zz09

Also, we've received some inquiries about donations for the funeral. Gifts are not necessary but your presence and thoughts are enough. However, if you would like to still make a contribution, then proceeds will go towards Esther Sohn and any minor funeral expenses that haven’t been covered already. You may do so by leaving it in our donation box at the funeral or by sending it to the Venmo account below:

● Venmo: @Joshua-Sohn-1

● or https://venmo.com/u/Joshua-Sohn-1