C.S. Cha, M.D., retired this week after 16 years of service at Wyandot Memorial Hospital.

 

Dr. Cha joined the medical staff in November of 1995, and practiced family medicine at Upper Sandusky Medical Associates with Dr. Browne, Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Solacoff. When USMA closed, his practice moved to the hospital.

 

Dr. Cha also cared for patients at the Carey Family Health Center, and had served as medical director for Fairhaven Community.

 

“Everybody’s one family,” Dr. Cha said of his experience in the area. “They take time, they’re not in a hurry and they’re kind.”

 

The local pace was different from what Dr. Cha had known working as a family practitioner in Cleveland and training in Cleveland and Toledo. He recalled being given directions to see patients at Fairhaven, and driving the same route back to the office.

 

“Dr. Rhodes asked how I came back to the office, and when I said I drove the same way coming and going, he wondered why I put myself through the ‘heavy traffic’ of South Sandusky Avenue,” Dr. Cha chuckled.

 

Dr. Cha’s children were in high school and college when he started at WMH, and they have since completed their educations. Ann is an OB/GYN in Atlanta, and Ae Jean “Angie” is an attorney with the US Justice Department in Washington, D.C. Paul graduated from UCLA with a Phd in Modern Korean History and resides in Hong Kong. Dr. Cha’s daughter, Debbie, passed away several years ago.

 

Dr. Cha’s wife, Hyunj, maintained their home – first in the Cleveland area and then Mansfield – while Dr. Cha resided in Upper Sandusky during the work week. He expects Mrs. Cha to have quite a “honey-do” list for him upon his retirement, and already has another mission trip to Peru planned for the spring.

 

“I’ve gone to the same village in the mountains of Peru since 1992,” Dr. Cha reported, “to care for patients of all ages.”

 

Dr. Cha also hopes to keep up with golf – a hobby he has enjoyed more since moving to the area.

 

“Dr. Cha has been a great fit on our medical staff,” WMH CEO Joe D’Ettorre noted. “I remember meeting him for the first time in Cleveland, and the compassion and gentleness he conveyed. Those qualities have been appreciated by many of our patients.”