Shang Jin Hahn

Shang Jin (“Julie”) Hahn passed away on August 27, 2021 at the age of 89, following a long battle with kidney disease. Born in Korea, Shang Jin moved to the United States 50 years ago in April 1971, accompanied by her husband and four school-aged children. Imbued with a fiercely independent streak, a pioneering spirit, and a deep devotion to family and the Catholic faith, she was a vibrant and passionate human being, savoring everything that life had to offer.

Shang Jin spent most of her life in New Haven, Connecticut, owning and operating a jewelry store for almost 20 years with her husband and then on her own. She was beloved by her countless loyal customers, who were deeply disappointed when her store was damaged in a fire and closed.

In 2014, she moved to Potomac, Maryland to be with her daughter, Hae-Soon. She spent the last three years of her life at Brighten Gardens, an assisted living facility in Chevy Chase, and enjoyed the company of her newly-acquainted close friends.

Shang Jin was an expressive and intense writer whose near-calligraphic quality diaries have inspired her children for years. Her cooking was restaurant quality, with her lavish spreads threatening to break the dining room table. She loved animals, and her dogs and cats stood close behind her children in her affections. She developed a lifelong love of classical music, which she passed on to her descendants, with two of her children, as well as grandchildren, becoming conservatory trained, professional performers.

Shang Jin is survived by her three children, Kurt, Hae-Soon and Andrew, as well as her seven grandchildren Alex, Mark, Catie, Elizabeth, Julia, Edward and Jennifer, and predeceased by her husband Suk Ki and daughter Karen.

Her funeral will take place on Tuesday, August 31 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 9200 Kentsdale Drive, Potomac, Maryland. There will be sufficient room for Covid-spaced seating, with Covid vaccinations and masks required.

Shang Jin will be missed be her many friends and extended family.