Song Que Hahn

Carmichael, California – Song Que Hahn, 86, passed away early Monday, July 31, 2023 after a battle with metastatic lung cancer. He was born on October 7, 1936, the son of Beong Kook Hahn and Uen Dang Koh.  He was a survivor of the Korean War and later served in the South Korean army.  For over twenty years Song was a high school English teacher and translator. He immigrated to the United States at 46 after falling in love with an American woman when he was part of a Korean English teachers summer program act CSUS.

Song earned his Master’s of Arts degree from California State University, Sacramento.

After marrying Lani Hahn in 1983, he taught English as a Second Language at Valley High School in the Elk Grove School District, where he was often awarded best teacher by his high achieving students. After he retired from teaching in 2002, he stayed in close touch with many of his former students, many of whom had also been students of his wife, an ESL teacher at James Rutter Middle School.

After retirement, Song became a professor at National University in Sacramento where he taught graduate students Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language.  He also helped his fellow Korean immigrants as a medical translator at UC Davis Medical Center. Over the last three decades, Song also helped countless Korean immigrants who spoke little English by volunteering to explain financial and legal documents to them, and helping them take legal actions for themselves. He was continually driven to support others in every way he could. Song’s hobbies included weightlifting (his passion), boating, singing, writing, gardening, building and fixing things. He and his wife were long-time hosts of a CSUS Renaissance writing group. He is known for his kind, supportive spirit and willingness to jump into action to help those in need. Lani’s co-worker described him best, “an iron fist in a velvet glove.”

Song is survived by his wife of 39 years Lani Marks Hahn, his daughter Yoon Sook Hahn, Yoon Sook’s mother Sook Ja  Pak, grandson Vince Hahn, and a brother Myoung Yeung Hahn and sister Young Sook Hahn in Korea, stepchildren Scott West, John West, Lisa West, Maria West and Mark West, daughter-in-law Linda Chun and seven step grandchildren. His son Yoon Jong Hahn preceded him in death in July 2022.

A celebration of life for Song Que Hahn will be held on Saturday, August 19 at 2 PM.

St George’s Episcopal Church

5600 Winding Way

Carmichael, CA 95608

A reception will follow in the parish hall.

or to Shriner’s Hospitals for Children. Attn: Development Office, 2425 Stockton Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95817