Skiing accident claims life of former Cape Girardeau resident

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. -- June Kang, 65, formerly of Cape Girardeau, was killed in a skiing accident Friday in Vail, Colo.

She was born in 1943 in Seoul, Korea, daughter of the late Lee Sung Kuk (father) and Lee Hang Sun (mother). She and Han Mu Kang were married July 1, 1967, at Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau.

According to a story in the Vail Daily News, Kang was a popular woman in the tight-knit community. Her husband, Han Kang, is a retired Southeast Missouri State University political science professor and businessman.

The Beaver Creek resort where she was injured released no details of the incident other than that she was wearing a helmet and Beaver Creek Ski Patrol provided advanced life support, according to the Vail News account.

An autopsy was conducted Saturday, according to one of her daughters, Reesha Trznadel, who said it appears her mother lost consciousness while skiing and suffered injuries from impact.

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Kang graduated from Ewha Art Academy in 1959 and from the College of Fine Arts at Seoul National University in 1965, majoring in abstract Oriental painting known as mok-hwa. In Korea she won the first prize in the 1959 Junior National Artists Contest. She was a member of the Korean Artists of Fine Arts Association, Korean Mok-hwa Association and Korean Commercial Arts Association. Kang also painted in other styles and mediums. As a young adult she was a competitive speed skater on the Korean national ice skating team.

Kang was a homemaker. She was a member of PEO and the Women's Golf Association at the Cape Girardeau Country Club. Kang was athletic and won divisional championships in golf. She was an avid gardener, landscaper and cook.

Former colleague and family friend John Bierk said the couple later moved to Georgetown, Wash., around 2005, where they lived for a short time, and then established a residence in Colorado.

Judy Wilferth of Cape Girardeau said Kang was a phenomenal artist, "One of the most talented people I've known, really a gifted artist. We had the university in common; Han was a strong part of the Foundation."

In Colorado, Kang and her husband volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army.

Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Tarina (Brian Mahler) Kang of Boston, Reesha Kang Trznadel (Daniel) of Golden, Colo., and Arlington, Va.; a sister, Lee Young-ja; a brother, YC Lee; four grandchildren, Amaya June Mahler, Alex T. Trznadel, Christian T. Trznadel and Han T. Trznadel.

Family visitation will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Eagle River Presbyterian Church. A memorial service will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the church, 455 Nottingham Ranch Road, Avon, Colo. 81620. A reception will follow at the residence of Scott and Janie Cliver on Cresta Road at the Arrowhead Resort.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the June S. Kang Memorial Fund in support of arts education at the Business Bank of Edwards, Colo.

Dustin Racioppi of the Vail Daily newspaper in Beaver Creek, Colo., contributed to this report.

cpagano@semissourian.com

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