Helen Yong Couderc's Obituary
.Helen Y. Couderc
1930-2023
Helen (Yong Chil Kwon) Couderc passed away peacefully at home in San Jose, California, on June 16, 2023, at the age of 92. She was born in Yongin, Korea, one of Tae Hun and Ok Soon Kwon’s twelve daughters.
Helen met the love of her life, Richard (Dick) Couderc, while she worked as a telephone operator on a military base during the Korean War. The couple married in May 1955 and had two children, Amy and Richard. During Dick’s Army service, the family lived in many places—from Monterey to South Korea to Germany and San Francisco—before settling down in San Jose. Helen worked several jobs on military bases, her most recent at Moffett Field.
Helen was an incredibly warm, generous, and loving person—the center of her family. She loved hosting dinners for her children, grandchildren, and eventually great-grandchildren. She was an exceptional cook whose food always comforted, whether she made a traditional Korean dish or an American staple. She would make far too much food, and then accuse people of “hardly eating” or not being hungry no matter how many servings they had.
An active person, Helen enjoyed gardening, walking, and aerobics. She liked playing cards and watching golf. Before Dick passed away, the couple would take early-morning walks every day at Penitencia Creek Park.
Helen is survived by her sister Yong Nang Yu, daughter Amy McEwan and son-in-law John McEwan, son Richard Couderc, grandchildren Sean, Ryan, Erin, Lauren, and Madelyn, and great-grandchildren Linnea, Jacob, Riley, Liam, and Henry. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at the Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo. The viewing will begin at 12:00 p.m. and the graveside service at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Second Harvest Food Bank in San Jose.
Please reach out to Skylawn Funeral Home with questions or concerns regarding health and safety, parking and facilities, as well as questions about the Memorial Park.
The hours of operation are Monday through Sunday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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