Mrs. Susan Kim Doud

SUSAN KIM DOUD (née KIM JUNG SUK 김청숙) entered into blessed eternal rest on July 6, 2025. Beloved wife of John H. Doud III, Esquire; loving mother of A. Brian C. Doud (Leigh), Suzanne Kim Doud Galli, MD, PhD, FACS (Paolo), and Mary Teresa Anastasia Doud, Esquire (Filippo Bovio); adoring grandmother of Tatiana Mi Hae Galli, Patrick Doud, Sean Doud, Cosima Mi Sook Galli, Maddalena Mi Hi Galli, Andrea Francesco Bovio, and Chiara Valentina Bovio; she is survived also by her dear sisters, Julie Nemeth (Kim Won Ja) and Sherrie Jackson (Kim Kyung Sook), and many cherished nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Honorable Reverend Kim Sang Kwon and Kim Kyul; her sisters, Kim Hyo Sook, Kim Eun Sook, and Cindy Middleton (Kim Myung Sook); and her brother, Dr. Shin Eun Kim. She will be missed greatly by her family and friends around the world. Born in Pyongyang at the time of a unified Korea, the fourth child of Rev. Kim and his wife, Mrs. Doud went on to lead an extraordinary life. As her father was a direct descendant of the last king of the Silla dynasty, King Gyeongsun, and part of the Geumnyeong Kim (김녕김씨) clan, her early years were unique. A precocious child, Mrs. Doud undoubtedly displayed the intelligence, insight, and spirit inherited from the three Silla dynasty queens of her royal lineage. She commenced studies in English and classical piano with Scottish missionaries at the age of 5. At the onset of the Korean War, she weathered house arrest by communist soldiers who had targeted her father as a member of the intelligentsia. Following the armistice, her family returned to Seoul and Mrs. Doud resumed her studies. Having skipped several grades, she entered Ewha Womans University at age 15, a student of chemistry and philosophy. After meeting her husband, she defied parental dictates and family expectations by willfully changing the course of her life like the river Taedong in Pyongyang. She often said she was dipped in its waters as a babe, and thus it imbued her with its fierce strength, tenacity, and resilience. Mrs. Doud spent most of her life in Baltimore with her husband, John. She was a long-time resident of Guilford, where she tended to her many cats and cultivated the koi pond that reminded her of her childhood home. When she was not focused on her children’s comprehensive education to equip them as citizens of the world and representatives of her line, Mrs. Doud pursued her many talents and interests with irrepressible energy and curiosity. She was at once a force of nature and a gracious listener who gave solace by lending an ear to many a needy soul. A gifted home chef, she elegantly entertained guests and family in her home, always remembering and preparing everyone’s favorites. She was a voracious reader of many books at a time in any of her four languages. She was renowned for hosting many soirées for her Italian book club. An accomplished pianist and lifelong opera and classical music enthusiast, she patronized the symphony and theater at home and in her many travels around the world. Perhaps her greatest skill and favorite pastime, however, before her prolonged illness, was carrying her grandchildren on her back and rocking them to sleep with soothing Korean lullabies sung in an angelic voice she shared only with them. Beautiful, charismatic, and stylish to her last day, she loved fashion and was dedicated to curating a splendid wardrobe that would suit any occasion. She would be delighted to know that she left this world dressed in a well-appointed ensemble worthy of her last journey. Mrs. Doud’s family is indebted to the many women who helped them care for her so she could continue to live in her treasured home with her family these past years. With this expert and attentive care, we enjoyed many more years with her. Friends and family may call at the Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, 6500 York Road, Baltimore, MD, 21212 on Thursday, July 24, 2025 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, July 25, 2025 at 11 a.m. at the Second Presbyterian Church, 4200 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Kim Jung Sook may be made to the Korean American Scholarship Foundation (Eastern Region), 8300 Greensboro Drive, #L1-805, Tysons-Corner, VA 22102, www.kasf.org (Zelle 703-608-5273).