04/13/2021
It is with a broken heart that I have to let you know of the passing of our dear friend and GNS83 classmate, Albert Kim. I cannot find the words today to express how much I will miss our friend. Haven't we lost enough of the good ones? The obituary for Albert sums up his accomplishments but it will be his sense of humor that I will miss the most. I will include one of the funniest real-life stories that I have ever heard after the obituary. Al had told it to me when I was tracking down our classmates for our 30th Reunion back in 2013. He would have liked that you would have laughed at that story.
--------------------------
Obituary:
Albert Chung Kim, devoted father of three, early technologist, and avid tennis player passed away unexpectedly and peacefully at his home in Greenwich, CT, on March 8, 2021. He was 55 years old. The child of Korean immigrants, Albert was born on May 1, 1965, in Atlanta, Ga. He spent his childhood in Great Neck, LI, and graduated from Long Island University with a degree in computer science. Albert went on to have a three-decade-long career within technology, including 13 years spent as an early employee at Microsoft.
Above all, Albert was singularly devoted to his family and friends. He was a thoughtful champion of his children, wife, and extended family members. Known for his extensive knowledge and ability to understand and fix almost anything, Albert was always a first call for help and guidance. After picking up the sport as an adult, he became an avid tennis player, earning multiple trips to the USTA National Championships. Albert was the self-proclaimed and unrecognized “inventor” of Rollerblades. His lifelong passion for the outdoors culminated in numerous backpacking trips including to the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Denali Wilderness, and Mt. Kilimanjaro.
He is survived by his wife Katherine Kim and his three children, Tasha, Elena, and Jared, in addition to his two sisters and a loving extended family.
A celebration of Albert’s life will be held in Greenwich, CT over the summer, with details to come. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Albert Kim can be made either to the American Hiking Society or the USTA Foundation in support of expanding access to the outdoors and tennis, respectively.
--------------------
A true GNS83 story, as told to Eric Poll by Albert Kim.
Do you remember our GNS83 Classmate, Alan Schmelkin? Well, Alan is a doctor as many of our class are. Alan is a proctologist and lives up in western Connecticut, his practice is in Greenwich.
Alan had a little bit of a falling out with his family and when he got his medical degree, his wife told him, I think your last name is a little too ‘Jewish’ to be a doctor. Really?!? Too Jewish? To be a Jewish doctor in the late ’80s was still a bonus, but okay he officially changes his last name. Drops a couple of letters and becomes Dr. Alan Selkin.
When I was organizing our 30th Reunion in 2013, the company “Reunions-Unlimited” had a lot of trouble locating a number of our classmates, Alan Schmelkin being one of them. It is easy to track the path when a woman changes her last name through marriage, but when a guy officially changes his last name it becomes very difficult to track him down. I however happened to know Alan had changed his last name and was able to reach out and personally invite him to our reunion. He was thrilled to attend as he had not been to any of the previous reunions. But I digress...back to the story.
Now, here’s where Albert Kim comes into the story. Albert was a really great guy with a fantastic sense of humor and a good friend. He was the one who first told me this story and I am still laughing years later.
Albert goes to his regular GP for a checkup. His doctor said because of his family history and age he should get a baseline colonoscopy. Albert said, “Okay, who should I go see?” Albert’s doctor said, “Well, the best person in western Connecticut is a Doctor named Alan Selkin.” You already see where this story is going, don’t you......
So Albert makes an appointment with Dr. Selkin’s office. Takes all the “relaxing” drugs, gets a little loopy, dons the open back robe, gets up on the table with his butt exposed.
The nurse is in the room. She tells Albert it will just be a moment, the doctor will be in to see you.
Albert looks towards the door, in walk Alan “Schmelkin!”
They look at each other.... “Alan?!?” “Albert?!?”
Schmelkin: “Albert how have you been? Look this won’t take too long, just relax and......(insert scope)”
Albert Kim: (flinches upward)....”This is how you say ‘Hello’ after 25 years?”
-----------
I was rolling for hours after hearing Albert tell me that story. The other funny part is when I reached out to Alan Schmelkin/Selkin to personally extend and invite him to the reunion, he asked me who else I’ve spoken with or kept in touch with and who do I know from our class who lives in Connecticut. Now, this was before Alan knew I had heard the story from Albert who freely told me the story with no regard to holding it back.
I answered Alan Schmelkin: “Well around you in Connecticut is Albert Kim.”
Schmelkin: “I’ve seen Albert Kim.”
Me who could not resist a setup like that said:
“I KNOW you’ve SEEN Albert Kim!!”
Schmelkin: “Oh you heard that story?”
We both couldn’t stop laughing. Alan & Al had said that to this day, that has still been one of the funniest stories in their lives.
I will truly miss my dear friend Albert Kim.
