Dr. Pai

On August 4, 2009, surrounded by his family, Dr. Young Pai died at St. Luke's Hospital at the age of 80. The greatness of the life he led is reflected in the strength of the family he built with his wife Sunok Chun Pai, the lives he touched and the difference he made in the world. Services will be held at D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf, on Saturday, August 8, 2009; visitation 1 p.m. and memorial service 2 p.m. Born April 21, 1929, in Pyongyang, Korea, he was the son of Minsoo and Soonoak Pai and grandson of Chang Geun Pai, both Korean patriots dedicated to the fight for Korean independence. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his brother John Pai and his wife Eunsook; daughter Jeannette, her husband Jorge and their children Andres, Antonio, Vanessa, and Gabriel; son David, his wife Chris and their children Marissa and Elise; daughter Loraine, her husband Robert and their children Nathan and Chelsea, and other nieces and nephews. Dr. Pai came to the United States in 1947 and received his BA in sociology and biology in 1951 and his ME.D. in education in 1953, both from Macalester College. He received his doctoral degree in philosophy of education from Rutgers University in 1959. He became a citizen of the United States in 1968. In all his work and relationships, Dr. Pai was driven by his commitment to family, education and justice. Dr. Pai's long and distinguished career spanned 55 years. At the time of his death he was a professor emeritus at the School of Education, University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC), where he spent the majority of his career. He was a professor there from 1966-1993, with a focus on philosophy of education, teacher and multicultural education. During his career he served as a visiting professor at Rutgers University, Pennsylvania State University, Wayne State University, Park University, and several institutions in Korea. The highlight of his career was his tenure as dean of the School of Education at UMKC from 1993-1996. He was particularly pleased with the expansion from six to 12 centers designed to assure and support teaching excellence. He served in many leadership roles in the field of education such as: president, Philosophy of Education Society; president, Council of Learned Societies in Education; and member and chairperson of over 30 university accreditation review teams for the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education. As evidence of his deep dedication to the advancement of education and to furthering understanding across differences, Dr. Pai authored and co-authored numerous books and articles and spoke publicly on a variety of subjects between 1967–2005. His publications include: two editions of Philosophic Problems and Education, Philosophy and the American School, Teaching, Learning, and the Mind, Korean American Early Adolescents and Adolescents: A Report on a Three-year National Study of 575 Korean American Youths, Cultural Foundations of Education, and many other articles and speeches. An ardent believer in the power of community, he was active in his spare time in positions such as: Princeton Theological Seminary, trustee; Kansas City Civic Choir, member; Korean American Society of GKC, president; Korean United Presbyterian Church of Kansas, ordained elder; and Korean Choir of the GKC, president. A humble man at heart, he was often recognized by others for his professional and civic contributions. A sample includes: Professional Leader of the Year, Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Kansas City; trustee emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary; professor emeritus, University of Missouri, Kansas City; Presidential Medal for Service to the American Society, Republic of Korea; Outstanding Professor Award, UMKC School of Education, Alumni Association; and Amoco Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching. As a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and teacher, his gentle and warm spirit will continue to guide us. He will be forever remembered and cherished for his wisdom, humor and integrity. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the American Heart Association in honor of Dr. Young Pai.

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