Obituary from the Delta Junction, Alaska "Delta Wind" newspaper, dated Thursday, November 1, 2012, page A-3:

Soon Ae Carpenter, 62, beloved retired pastor of the Korean Presbyterian Church of Delta, Alaska, went to be with her Lord and Savior on September 28, 2012, in Seoul, [South] Korea.

Soon Ae was born in 1950 in the village of Soonchang-kun, South Korea. She is survived by her father and mother, Chong Ok Gong and Ok Nim Chung, of Soonchang-kun, Korea; her husband, Richard "Bob" Carpenter, currently residing at Edgewood, Washington; Jon S. and Lori Carpenter of Delta Junction and their sons, Jonathan and Justin; and by Brook and Kathy Carpenter of Edgewood, Washington and their daughters Alyssa and Erica. Soon Ae loved Jon and Brook as sons. She is also survived by her siblings in South Korea, sisters Young Ae, Jung Ae, Il Sook and Kyong Ae, and brother, In Hyun. She is also survived by extended family members in Korea.

Soon Ae grew up in the small village of Soonchang-kun, in the rural Korean countryside. Her family grew some of their own food. Before walking to school in the morning, Soon Ae attended to chores in the garden and household. As the oldest of six children, she helped with some of the raising and care of her younger brothers and sisters. Soon Ae's family was Buddhist at the time of her birth, but over time Soon Ae's parents, grandmother and siblings became faithful Christians, which gave Soon Ae great peace.

Soon Ae worked hard, often helping her family. She moved to Seoul sometime after her graduation from school in her village. Soon Ae felt called to pursue a Christian ministry. She pursued seminary education in Korea and graduated after several years of intense, devoted study. Soon Ae developed an extensive library in the course of her studies.

In 1985, future husband Richard "Bob" Carpenter began writing to Soon Ae in Korea, having received a referral from a Korean Presbyterian pastor in Fairbanks. Soon Ae and Bob corresponded for a while and occasionally spoke by telephone. Several times Soon Ae sent tapes of herself singing hymns, which Bob enjoyed. Bob visited Soon Ae in Korea, meeting her parents several times. Soon Ae accepted a proposal of marriage from Bob, and with her parents' blessing , married Bob in Korea in January 1986. Presbyterian Church members and friends met Soon Ae at the Fairbanks airport with a big banner to give her a friendly welcome to the state of Alaska.

Soon Ae and Bob were married in America in May 1986 in the Presbyterian Church in Delta. Members of the Korean community in Delta reached out to Soon Ae and she was soon acquainted with a wide network of friends from her Korean homeland here. Soon Ae began a ministry to the Korean members of the Delta community and to the Korean wives of military personnel.

In December 1991, Soon Ae was ordained by the Presbyterian (USA) Church. She was called and installed as an associate pastor of the Delta Presbyterian Church. Soon Ae also ministered to the Korean community of Fairbanks, serving for a time as itinerant pastor during a period of transition for the Fairbanks Korean Church. Throughout the years, Soon Ae continued with both formal and informal ministry to the Korean community of Delta. She devoted many hours to leading Bible studies and fellowship, developing close friendships within the Korean community. Her bright smile and gracious manner made her beloved throughout the Delta and Fairbanks communities.

In 2008, Soon Ae was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. For the next four years, she underwent a difficult regimen of treatment, experiencing at times devastating side effects. Thoughout her whole course of treatment, Soon Ae was a ray of sunshine to all she met, always smiling and saying she was fine. She constantly ministered to the needs of others and was a true inspiration to everyone she met.

In recent years, after her husband's formal retirement from ministry, Soon Ae and Bob had attended services at the Fort Greely chapel. Chaplains and those attending chapel services found Soon Ae to be a loving, compassionate and inspirational presence. Soon Ae was truly beloved by members of the chapel community. She enjoyed the fellowship and potluck after the service, regularly bringing trays of food as well as "kim" and kimchee for all to enjoy.

Soon Ae and Bob traveled to Korea in April 2012, after Soon Ae learned that her time on earth was to be limited. She wished to spend time with her Korean family and travel to her home village to visit with her parents. Soon Ae's sister Young Ae welcomed Soon Ae and Bob to stay with her and her family in Seoul, where Soon Ae remained until her need for hospitalization. She was at peace knowing that soon she would be home with the Lord. She leaves behind friends and family who miss her dearly, but feel truly blessed to have had Soon Ae be a part of their lives.