Sung Staker

Funeral Recording

It is with sad hearts that we announce the passing of our dear Sung Hye Staker, on Valentine’s day, February 14, 2021, at her family’s beach front vacation home in Dana Point, California.

She was born May 4, 1958 in Ha-dong, South Korea to Dong-gun Chung and Cha-soon Park. She is the third of four children (two boys and two girls); Sung-ja Jung, Yong-soeb Chung, Sung-hye Chung, Ki-seob Chung. Most of her family were involved in the agriculture industry. Her father was a master arborist for the South Korean government. Her family moved to Busan when she was seven years old, and to Seoul when she was ten.

At the age of eighteen, she was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Elder David De Mille, who was from the United States (Idaho). Following high school graduation, she worked as an Emcee and Comedian for a major television network, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation.

She married Kuk-jin Shin in May 1983, and they moved to Hawaii where he attended BYU Hawaii. They were blessed with two daughters, Lora and Silla. Following his graduation, they moved to New York City/New Jersey. After several years living in New York, she and her daughters moved to Rexburg, Idaho, where she attended Ricks College (BYU Idaho). Her visa expired after two years and she was compelled to move back to South Korea. When they arrived back in Korea, they divorced.  She and the daughters experienced challenging times. She worked for an international travel agency as a tour guide. She had the opportunity to travel many countries around the world in this capacity.

After several years in Korea, she moved back to the U.S. Upon arrival back in the U.S., she and her daughters settled in Florida. She got a position working at Walt Disney World, Polynesian Resort in Orlando. She worked there for several years. She then had the privilege of working full-time in the Orlando L.D.S. Temple. After three years of working in the temple, she was called to serve a full-time L.D.S. mission at the Church Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Following her mission, she worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant. While working as a CNA she met her husband, Val Staker. They were married September 6, 2014 in the Salt Lake Temple. Val has two living children, Brad, Cedar Hills, Utah and Kimberly Holmstrom, Cottonwood Heights, Utah, and two deceased, Brittin and Ryan, and eight grandchildren. Val also has five step-children from a previous marriage (Jason Kilgore, Draper, Utah; Emily Kilgore Olsen, Park City, Utah;  Josh Kilgore, Amarillo, Texas; Jake Kilgore, Fruit Heights, Utah and Babe Kilgore, Scottsdale, Arizona).

She loved singing, dancing, traveling, helping others and genealogy work. Her most cherished blessings in life were her daughters, Lora and Silla, her husband Val, and her testimony of The Lord Jesus Christ, as well as her citizenship in the United States of America.

A visitation will be held Friday, February 26, 2021 at Cannon Mortuary, 2460 E. Bengal Blvd. (7600 S.) from 6-8 p.m. (Mask and social distancing observed). Due to current circumstances the funeral will be by invitation only.   For those wishing to watch the services,  please go to cannonmortuary.com for service streaming link on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. Streaming will begin about 10 minutes before the service begins.  Interment Holladay Memorial Park.