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August 2, 1946 – July 23, 2025
Irene Hiʻilei MacKenzie Chung was born on August 2, 1946, in Hawaiʻi. She became a member of the Bahá’í Faith in 1969 in New York City, one of the early believers of Hawaiian descent. In 1971, Irene met Joon Chung, and they were married that same year at the National Bahá’í Center on Allen Place in Honolulu. They moved to Skokie, Illinois, where Irene worked at the Bahá’í Publishing Trust from 1973 to 1978, while Joon pursued studies in Design and Production at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Their journey of service led them to Tennessee, and then in 1982, to Kailua, Oʻahu, where they lived until 1987. That year, Irene and Joon pioneered to Seoul, South Korea, with their three sons—Chahn, Kapono, and Lucas. Irene began work as an educational counselor for the University of Maryland, a position she held until her retirement in 2009, during which time she transitioned to a missionary visa to remain in Korea.
In 2000, Irene was appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors for Asia after briefly serving as an Auxiliary Board Member. During her ten years as a Counsellor, she lovingly supported the communities of Korea, Singapore, and Thailand.
Her beloved husband Joon, who had long served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Korea, passed away in Korea in December 2003 and is buried there. Irene remained in Korea until 2014, volunteering at the National Bahá’í Center in Huam-dong before returning to the Hawaiian Islands.
Settling in ʻEwa Beach,on Oahu, Irene served on that Local Spiritual Assembly until her cancer treatments required her to resign. For years, she and her devoted friend, Weslie Mills, lovingly tended the Pu’u o Kapolei every Friday morning—watering plants, sweeping paths, holding devotions, and sharing the Faith with those drawn by their acts of aloha for the ʻāina.
Irene’s devotion to the Faith and to her Hawaiian heritage was evident in her leadership and passion for the translation of the Bahá’í Writings into ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. Appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly to the Hawaiian Language Bahá’í Prayers and Writings Task Force, along with Wynne ʻIwanalani Nakamoto and Qurratu’l-‘Ayn Emiko Joy, Irene helped bring the Holy Writings into the hands of both the Bahá’ís of Hawaiʻi and the broader community. Their first printed materials were photo cards featuring ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi on one side and English on the other—beautiful, powerful tools of outreach and love.
This faithful team’s work culminated in the printing of a fifty-one-page booklet entitled E Kuʻu Akua e in 2019, a lasting gift to the Hawaiian Islands and a treasured part of Irene’s legacy of service to humanity.
View a timeline of Irene's Life https://memorialsource.com/memorial/irene-hiilei-mackenzie-chung
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Bren Shuler
What I posted on the Memorial Wall:
I was quite saddened to learn of the loss of Irene who I got to know as a stalwart administrator with Korea Area Director Office of University of Maryland Asian Division, later known as University of Maryland University College-Asia. While she was in the Seoul office, I worked with her from afar in the headquarters office located in Tokyo. This was from 1993 to 2007. She was gracious, patient, and super knowledgeable about the Maryland program in Korea. I had the opportunity to visit the Seoul office once for a week of staff training. Irene was a most accommodating host in treating me there and getting me north for a DMZ visit. She will always be someone who I treasure in my mind and in my heart during my time with UMUC-Asia.
Edward Davis
My wife, Diane Coleman, and I were hired to teach in Korea in 1990. Once there Diane became an Academic Advisor working with Irene at Camp Coiner in Yongsan and I soon became the Area Director,,North. We spent 4 years there and Irene was always so very organized and cheerful and helpful to the students. She remained there when we move to the UMAD program on Okinawa in 1995. We had lots of getogathers in Seoul for staff and faculty and Irene, Yoon and their children joined us when they could. I will always treasure my tenure at Yongsan as the Area Director. I didn't realize it at the time but were were the same age. I always had the impression she was much younger. She was a delight to work with. May she rest in peace.
Charles Brumfield
I worked for Irene in Korea and liked her very much. She was warm and efficient in her job. I cannot claim to have been her close friend, but certainly we were friends. In short, I really liked Irene. I wish her well as she embarks on her ultimate adventure. I know she will fare well.