(1939-2026)
Dr. Gwang Soo Han, a dedicated and leading physician, a tireless advocate for the community, and a devoted husband of 60 years, passed away peacefully on Jan. 16, 2026, at the age of 86 following a brief illness. He leaves behind a legacy defined by resilience, a deep love of learning, and a lifetime spent in the service of his communities.
A Journey of Resilience
Born on June 30, 1939, in the northern region of Korea to Yung Il Han and Jung Soon Choi, Gwang Soo’s early life was shaped by the turbulent history of the Korean peninsula. His father, working as a banker and in many other businesses, moved his family to Busan in the southernmost part of Korea. Gwang Soo was a brilliant student, leaving his home in Busan at the age of 14 and graduating from the prestigious Seoul High School before earning his medical degree from Seoul National University (SNU) in 1963. Following his studies, he served his military service as a medical officer in the South Korean Army.
In Seoul, while living in a modest rooming house during college, he met the love of his life, Gwang Ja Lee. Their union, spanning seven decades, became the cornerstone of his world. In search of greater opportunity, he immigrated to the United States in 1967 where he completed his residency and internship at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center. After training and living in Washington D.C., New York City, and Detroit, he eventually settled in Sylva, North Carolina in 1974, where he would leave an indelible mark on the communities of western North Carolina
A Healer of Thousands
In June of 1974, Dr. Han was the first and only board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist (OB/GYN) in western North Carolina west of Asheville. He quickly became a lifeline to that area serving not only Sylva and Jackson County but many of the underserved communities in Cherokee, Franklin, Robbinsville, Andrews, and beyond. Over a career that spanned more than three decades, he delivered more than 6,200 babies and was instrumental in raising the standards of women’s health care introducing fetal monitoring, fetal ultrasounds and laparoscopic surgery to an area where many hospitals did not even do those things.
His passion was in the operating room where he performed his own urogynecology and gynecologic oncology surgeries and brought cutting-edge technology to a region where that was not routine. He held monthly clinics in rural mountain towns and served the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for decades. Even after retiring from private practice in 2007, he continued his clinic in Cherokee until 2014. Upon his retirement, he was one of the first non-Native Americans invited into the Tribal Council and was honored for his lifelong service to the community.
To many in his community, he was more than a doctor; he was the first pair of hands to welcome them into the world. His patients remember him for his steady calm, his tireless work ethic, and his profound respect for the miracle of life.
A Lifelong Learner
Beyond the walls of the hospital, Gwang Soo was a man of immense intellectual curiosity. He was a “lifelong learner” in the truest sense, often found immersed in a biography or a history book. He possessed a refined appreciation for the smaller joys of life—a thoughtful conversation, a beautiful piece of music, or a fine glass of wine shared with family and friends. He loved to travel the world and immerse himself in the history of great people. He especially loved to share this learning with his children and grandchildren. After retirement, he still lived to serve the underserved, as he worked in hospitals in New Zealand and Kenya.
Legacy and Family
Dr. Han’s greatest pride was his family. He is survived by his beloved wife of over 60 years, Gwang Ja, his son Bobby and his wife Jae, his daughter Angie and her husband Russell Culin; and his cherished grandchildren Becker, Bensen, and Bowen Han, and Ellie and Noah Culin. He taught them, by example, that a life is built on a strong foundation of education, integrity, and devotion to those you love.
While we will miss the warmth of his hand and the wisdom of his voice, we find comfort in knowing that his legacy lives on in the thousands of lives he touched and the family he adored.
Memorial Service Information
A celebration of Dr. Gwang Soo Han’s life will be held on Saturday, March 21 at 10 a.m. at the Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home at 9902 Braddock Road in Fairfax, Virginia where his remains will be interred.
A second memorial service will be held in Sylva, the place that he called home for 52 years on Saturday, April 18 at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 77 Jackson Street, Sylva, North Carolina.
In keeping with his spirit of service, the family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Center for Domestic Peace (https://www.cdpjaxcountync.org/) or Circles of Jackson County (https://www.circlesofjacksoncounty.com/) – two organizations that helped the underserved in Jackson County, N.C.