Lee Mal H. Clem

Clem, Lee Mal H. of Kalamazoo, Michigan Passed on to the arms of Jesus the evening of November 24th when she succumbed to a chronic heart failure condition that she had suffered for several years. She is survived by her husband Gene Clem in Kalamazoo; son SSG Daniel Clem of Fort Hood, TX; a sister and 10 nieces and nephews in Seoul, South Korea. She has been a member of the United Methodist church since she was baptized in the faith in 1974 and was a member of Northwest UMC here in Kalamazoo County for the past 26 years. Lee retired from Meijer Corporation in 2005. Lee Clem was born Mal Hwa Yi near Seoul, South Korea September 6, 1940. Her father died while Lee was a young child and Lee's mother died in her arms during the Korea War and left her an orphan. She was taken in by relatives but life was hard and she left home to make it on her own at the age of 18. She took English classes and after several tries wound up with a job as an IBM equipment operator working for the US Army in A Co., 55th Maint. Battalion in Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Gene, her husband of 44 years met her there when he was the Commander of B Co., 55th Maint. Battalion in Camp Humphreys in 1966. After Gene's return to the states and release from active duty, he returned to Korea as a civilian and he and Lee were married in October 1968. The family returned to the USA in July 1972. Lee became a proud American on July 4, 1976 on the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of America! When son Dan was in high school, Lee decided that she needed to get a high school diploma also, so she enrolled in the Kalamazoo Adult High School, earned all A and B grades and received her diploma at a graduation ceremony in Chenery Auditorium two days after son Dan returned from combat duty in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Dan attended the event in desert uniform but mom was the star of the show. Lee learned how to bake, and decorate cakes after coming to America. Again, she enrolled in a class on cake decoration and got herself promoted to that job in the Meijer bakery in the new at that time West Main store in Kalamazoo. Her cookies, pies and cakes will be sorely missed at the Church suppers. Lee was very oriented towards the arts as she would design and crochet doilies, table cloths and other items as well as knit clothing for the family. Her favorite past times were flower gardening and cooking; she was an avid fan of NASCAR, the NFL, the Food Channel and the Fox News Channel. She was an excellent cook. But most of all, she was a loving life partner to Gene and mother to Dan as she considered that her highest calling. Funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 1, 2012 at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th St., where friends may visit with the family from 2:00 p.m. until time of service. Pastor Ron Hanson will officiate. Interment will be in Hill Cemetery on Monday, December 3, 2012.