Memorial Trees
S
Sherry Jursa
April 10, 2022
T
Tribute Store
April 08, 2022
Memorial trees planted for:
Jongrang Tenjum
Jongrang Tenjum, age 66, of Wheaton, IL, and The Villages, FL, passed away peacefully on April 4, 2022 after a courageous battle with myelodysplastic syndrome/leukemia, and complications from autoimmune hepatitis. Jong was born on April 21,1955, in Busan, South Korea, to Hee Sook Han and Jong Hee Won. She came to the United States at the age of 17 as part of a high school exchange program, and went on to study mathematics and business at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, WI. At 23, she met her husband, Marvin Tenjum. They wed in 1980 and lovingly adopted two children, Angela and Andrew Tenjum. Jong began a career in 1978 as a programmer trainee at JCPenney, and then became a programmer analyst and actuary for Blue Cross Blue Shield Wisconsin. She went on to work at M&I Data Center as a team leader. In 1989, Jong joined Northern Trust Bank, where she held various high-impact roles throughout her 27-year tenure, and was a leader in the Asian Leadership Council. She was a role model to many, and was well known for her dynamic presence, her dedication, and her resilience. She was a caring and supportive leader with a clear vision and high standards. After a successful career of nearly 40 years, Jong retired from Northern Trust as Senior Vice President. In her retirement, Jong became a snowbird, sharing her time between The Villages, FL and Wheaton, IL. She thoroughly enjoyed spending summers with her children and American family, and spending winters with her newfound friends, taking daily walks, playing pickleball, and dancing to live rock bands. Jong’s incredible warmth and positive energy were infectious. She was a brilliant, endearing, and empathetic person. She had many dear friends who felt privileged to know her and love her. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends and colleagues. Jong’s family is forever grateful to the doctors, nurses, nursing assistants and lab techs who cared for her at UChicago Medicine. Jong’s doctors said they will use her fighting spirit, her spunk and her rigor to inspire future patients. Jong was predeceased by her parents, Hee Sook Han and Jong Hee Won. She is survived by her husband, Marvin Tenjum, her children, Angela Tenjum and Andrew Tenjum, her siblings, Jong Hwa Won (Young Cho Koh), Jong Kuk Won (Hyang Suk Baik), Jong Min Won, and her dear nieces and nephews. Jong was so special that she had more than one family. She found the Bennett family during her college years in the United States, who quickly became her “American family.” She is predeceased by her American parents, Charles and Mildred Bennett, and is survived by her American siblings, Michal Huston, Susan (James III) Schiro, Diane (Michael) Johnson, Charles E. Bennett Jr. (Debra), and Donna Bennett, as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews. A Visitation will be held on Sunday, April 10th, 2:00 PM -6:00 PM at Bucaro Funeral Home, 485 W. Army Trail Rd. Bloomingdale, IL 60108. Funeral service will take place at 5:00 PM. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made on Jong’s behalf to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at www.lls.org or to the Star of the Seas Orphanage in Korea by sending your donation via Venmo to @Marvin-Tenjum. Marv will hand deliver the donation upon his next visit to the orphanage. Please visit www.bucarofuneralhome.com or call 630-242-4700 for more information.April 21, 1955 - April 4, 202204/21/195504/04/2022
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