Smiles we remember: Dr. Jun-Young Cho
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of former faculty member Dr. Jun-Young Cho, who died Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Cho joined the faculty as an instructor at what was then Baylor College of Dentistry in 1968. He was appointed an assistant professor in 1972 and named an associate professor in 1977. He retired in 2022 after more than 50 years of dedicated service to the dental school.
Cho was named Outstanding Instructor in 1970. That same year, he was named an honorary Texas citizen by then-Gov. Preston Smith.
Cho graduated from Seoul National University College of Dentistry in 1961. In 1964, he earned a certificate in periodontics from the Carius Dental Clinic at the United States Army. He also earned a certificate in periodontics from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1970.
Cho is remembered by his colleagues as a quiet, humble and generous man who loved spending time with his colleagues at the dental school.
“He couldn’t say enough of his great and wonderful experiences here as a faculty member,” said Dr. Celeste Abraham, clinical associate professor in periodontics.
Abraham also recalled Cho’s artistic talents and his love of drawing, golf and gardening. “He created a periodontal surgical manual as well as a manual on basic periodontal instrumentation for students, both of which were entirely hand-drawn.”
Abraham wrote a poem about Cho that was shared at his retirement reception. The poem is reposted below with permission from Abraham.
Cho is survived by his son, Dr. David Cho, and his wife, Christi; grandson, Isaac Cho; brother, Joon Ho Cho; niece, Jennifer Kim; and extended family members, friends and colleagues at the dental school who will deeply miss his presence and cherish the memories they shared with him.
Visitation: Sunday, Sept. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Funeral service: Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m.
Both services will be held at Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013.
On behalf of Texas A&M College of Dentistry, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Cho family.
The Dr. Cho Hour
Between the morning clinic and the evening one,
When the day is beginning to flower,
Comes a pause in today’s profession,
That is known as the Dr. Cho Hour.
We hear on the floor beside us
The stride of strong and swift feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And the flip of a diagnostic workup sheet.
From the operatory we see in the hall light,
Descending the eighth floor stair,
Students reviewing and discussing cases
And Dr. Cho with his regal gray hair.
A whisper, and then a silence:
Yet we know by his cheerful eyes
He is preparing and planning his afternoon
Never to compromise.
More than fifty years he gave his all,
From sim lab to clinic to surgical manual,
He welcomed dentists far and wide
Even completing a Buser sabbatical.
His creativity gave rise to typodont models,
He spent hours developing a texture,
The gingival surface was unique to palpation
Nothing was left to conjecture
On weekends he is on golf’s green turf
Walking a course of eighteen holes;
Knowing the exercise is good for him;
Building his mind and body and soul.
The garden and pond await for his work,
Creating designs in his back yard,
The evening signals his hands to the earth
Persimmons he will not disregard.
He will remain fast in our hearts and our minds,
And he won’t disappear from there
He’s now down in the history books
So many years here and so rare.
He’ll enjoy all the days of the future
With all he desires to do
Golfing or gardening or creating
Best wishes always to renew
Between the morning clinic and the evening one,
When the day is beginning to flower,
Comes a pause in today’s profession,
That is known as the Dr. Cho Hour.
This is written in the rhyme and meter of the poem
The Children’s Hour
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Written by Dr. Celeste M. Abraham
In honor of the retirement of Dr. J.Y. Cho
August 31, 2022