Thomas K. Kim

Thomas K. Kim, 83, of Abilene, long-time president of McMurry University, passed away on March 12, 2012 after a brief illness. A memorial service is planned at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Abilene on Saturday March 17 at 2:00 PM officiated by Dr. Eduardo Rivera, Dr. John Russell, and Dr. Jesse Fletcher. Arrangements are by Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd. in Abilene. Dr. Kim (née Kim Kun Hyuk) was born in Shanghai, China to Korean parents, Kim Hong Suh and Kim Jong Sook on February 18, 1929. The early part of his life was spent as a refugee from the Japanese occupiers of the Korean peninsula. Following the defeat of Japan at the end of World War II the family returned to Korea. Kim immigrated to the United States in 1948 to attend school at Berea College in Kentucky. After obtaining a degree in Business he moved to Indiana University for an M.B.A. Faced with the prospect of returning to war-torn Korea, Kim became an American citizen by special act of Congress, signed into law by President Eisenhower. He returned to Berea College to teach and met Martha Zoellers whom he married in 1958. The couple moved to New Orleans where Kim obtained his Ph.D. in Economics at Tulane University. Dr. Kim immediately began an academic career. Following brief appointments in Ohio (where son Larry was born) and Kansas (where daughter Cathy was born), he moved to Texas Tech University in Lubbock. In 1970 Dr. Kim became President of McMurry College in Abilene, a position he held for the next 23 years. As President of McMurry, Kim saw the completion of several major construction projects including the Fine Arts building, the athletic center, and the student center. In 1990 McMurry College was renamed McMurry University. During his tenure as President Dr. Kim received numerous professional and civic honors including Citizen of the Year of Abilene in 1986. Dr. Kim retired as President in 1993. He soon resumed his first professional love: classroom teaching. He taught Economics first at Abilene Christian University and later Hardin-Simmons University where he continued to teach until late fall of 2011 when his health began to fail. His friends and family knew him to have a deep love of education and the Christian faith, particularly the Methodist Church. He was also known for his warm, generous spirit. He is survived by wife Martha, son Larry Kim and wife Nicola of Little Rock, AR, daughter Cathy Fowlkes and husband Barry of Abilene; brothers, Lawrence Kim of San Francisco, CA, and Kenneth Kim of Clinton, NY, sister Pearl Wittig of Los Angeles, CA; and 6 grandchildren -- Parker, Adrian and Zoe Fowlkes of Abilene and Spencer, Erik, and Phoebe Kim of Little Rock, AR. Memorials may be sent to McMurry University, the Kelley School of Business at Hardin-Simmons University, or KACU public radio.