Micha Harrison's Obituary
In Memory of Micha Shin Harrison; December 25 1942- March 2, 2011 Micha Harrison was born in South Korea on Dec 25, 1942. Her Father was a Judge in Pusan. She graduated from Seoul National University in 1964 and immigrated to the United States later. She worked extremely hard doing several jobs until she earned enough money to bring her family from Pusan to Texas. She met her future husband, 1st Lieutenant Charlie Harrison in El Paso in 1975. They were married in a military ceremony at the Camp Red Cloud Chapel in Ouijongbu, Korean in 1977. Micha became a very supportive Army wife as well as the leader of her extended family. The Harrisons became the legal guardians for Daiyoung and Boyoung Choi (her sister’s children) bringing them to Kansas, Germany, Seoul, and Kingsville, Texas. They adopted Jimmy and Missy Harrison in 1985 and 1988 respectively. Micha was also deeply involved with helping her elder brother’s family and her sister to get established in Lubbock. Charlie retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1992 and moved to the Dallas area where he worked as an engineer for MCI (now Verizon). She continued to support Charlie and to raise Missy and Jimmy settling in Wylie in 1998. During the period she also owned Tucker’s Dry Cleaner’s in Carrollton and the Super Laundry City in Garland, retiring to be a full time housewife in 2003. She was also a deacon for the 1st Korean United Methodist Church in Richardson. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in August 2009 in spite of the fact that she did not smoke and was in excellent physical condition. She fought the disease aggressively and survived twice as long as would have normally been expected succumbing to the disease on March 2, 2011. Micha was the embodiment of the American Dream, working hard to establish herself as a successful business woman and the leader of her family. She possessed an indomitable spirit that affected everyone that she came in contact with. She was an extraordinary Army wife that participated in morning PT with the soldiers. On one occasion she cooked soup for a dozen Military Policemen that were working late on a cold night in Germany. On another occasion she gave about 50 soldiers a haircut so that they would be ready for a short notice inspection. She kept herself in excellent condition wining dozens of Master’s Division trophies in 5 or 10 K races in Korea, Germany, and Texas. The spirit she displayed fighting cancer endeared her to the medical professionals who helped her. She is probably best known as Big Aunt who helped inspire her family to succeed in the United States. Three of her older brother’s children graduated from Texas Tech University and one from UT Arlington. Her son Jimmy graduated from SHSU and is now serving as a First Lieutenant in the US Army. Her nieces and nephews have also done well and have successful careers in the military, law, insurance, and business. Micha was a deeply religious woman who passed away peacefully with her family at home while her sisters, her pastor and her pastor’s wife were singing hymns. She is survived by her husband LTC Charlie Harrison, her children Missy and 1LT Jimmy Harrison, her son in law Sung Yi, her grandchildren, Hana and Alex Yi, her brother Yang Hyun Shin, her sisters EeNam Tosh and Suk Hyun O, her nephews Daiyoung Choi, Chuck Shin, Charlie Shin, Seyun and Sechin O, her nieces SSG Sonya Shin, Kui Sun Roberts, Kim Ahn, Kui Nicholson, and Boyoung Choi as well as their 15 children.
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