Suk Hyon Oldis

SUK HYON OLDIS
FEBRUARY 10, 1947 - APRIL 12, 2024
Santa Fe - Suk Hyon (Suky) Oldis, a longtime resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico, passed away on April 12, 2024, at the age of 77. She was preceded in death by her father, Won Il Moon, and mother, Pu Sun Yim, and several brothers and sisters, all of South Korea. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Paul Oldis, and her daughter, Lisa Oldis (Jeff), of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Suky, the youngest of a large family that included two sisters and three brothers, was born on February 10, 1947, in Tosung-myon, a small town in the northwestern province of Kyonggi-do, South Korea. During her childhood, she spent much of her free time exploring the forests and rivers of her native country. This deep connection to the natural world, coupled with a vivid imagination, provided inspiration for the many watercolors that she painted during her lifetime. From a young age, Suky also showed an interest in dance and writing, and in her early twenties, while living in Seoul, she studied ballet and worked for a local newspaper with the intention of becoming a journalist. While employed with the United States Eighth Army, she met her future husband, Paul, and in 1972, she followed him overseas to realize her dream of becoming an American citizen. After marrying in Montana, they settled down in Las Vegas, Nevada, and eventually designed and built their own home. Suky worked in the casino industry for several years before retiring and moving with her husband and daughter to Boulder, Colorado, and finally to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In addition to painting, she enjoyed reading and crocheting and was especially fond of music; her tastes spanned multiple genres and included everything from Chopin and Mozart to Tony Bennett and the Moody Blues. Suky was genuinely interested in the emotions and experiences of other people, and she lived her life with love and compassion. Her family was paramount above all else, and she supported them to the very end, even when her own health began to fail.
A private memorial will be held for immediate family members only. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Santa Fe Botanical Society, Santa Fe Art Institute, or Santa Fe Humane Society.