Byong-Han Min

Mrs. Byong-Han Min was a native of South Korea and a longtime resident of Carbondale. She moved to Carbondale in 1997 to be with her three children. Born in 1925, she enjoyed a long and successful career as a midwife and nurse in her hometown of Choonchun, South Korea, located 60 miles northeast of Seoul. She was a devout Christian who copied the Old and New Testaments of the Bible three times in long-hand. 

She led a remarkable life despite traumatic events she experienced during the dramatic upheaval of Korean history. She grew up and was educated under 36 years of Japanese occupation. Her entire family moved to Manchuria, causing her to lose contact with them until the end of World War II. The division of Korea at the end of the Korean War then separated them permanently. Despite living through these tumultuous eras of Korean history, she built a successful career and raised a family. 

After arriving in Carbondale in 1997, Mrs. Min taught herself Chinese calligraphy. She not only studied old Chinese philosophical teachings and poems, but also practiced calligraphy regularly until just a few months before her passing. Under her pen name Bamboo Grove, which signifies strength, flexibility and health, she achieved her own sophisticated style and produced a remarkable number of works. In the past five years, her calligraphy was celebrated in shows in Herrin and Carbondale

She passed away peacefully on February 19, 2025. She is survived by a son, two daughters, a daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law, two grandsons, three granddaughters, two grandsons-in-law, and a great-granddaughter.