Helen Garris, a woman of quiet strength and unwavering support, recently passed away on February 13, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of dedication, generosity, and service. Though she may not have stood in the spotlight, her role in the establishment and growth of Kangdukwon Taekwondo in North America was vital. As the devoted wife of Jack Garris, whose Ann Arbor-based law firm provided decades of pro bono legal counsel to Grand Master Hwa Chong and the kwan, Helen was the steadfast force that allowed such contributions to flourish.
Born into a family that valued hard work and integrity, Helen understood the importance of service. She supported her husband’s legal career, ensuring that he had the foundation necessary to assist Kangdukwon Taekwondo through its most formative years. While Jack and his firm handled the kwan’s complex legal affairs, helping to provide it with the security and structure needed for growth, Helen was his quiet confidante, his unwavering partner, and the cornerstone of their shared commitment to justice and community service.
Helen’s role extended beyond that of a supportive spouse; she was a nurturer of the very spirit that enabled Kangdukwon Taekwondo to take root in North America. Her patience, resilience, and encouragement helped sustain her husband’s tireless dedication, ensuring that the kwan remained legally protected and organizationally stable. While martial artists trained, disciplined their bodies, and sharpened their minds, Helen worked behind the scenes, reinforcing the foundation that allowed such traditions to endure.
She was known for her kindness and generosity, always opening her home and heart to those in need. Many who were involved in the early days of Kangdukwon Taekwondo remember her as a warm and welcoming presence, a person who truly understood the importance of community and support. She was a woman of quiet influence, one whose contributions were felt in the stability of the institutions she helped nurture rather than in public recognition.
Jack and Helen Garris were ardent supporters of the University of Michigan Taekwondo Club and attended many TKD Club events.
As a student at the UM TKD Club, Steve Garris trained with Club Founder Jim Young. Steve introduced Jim Young to his father, Jack Garris. Jack was a lawyer in downtown Ann Arbor and used law clerks in his firm. Jim Young was in law school then and began working as a law clerk with Jack Garris. Eventually, Jack asked Mr. Young to join his law firm upon his graduation from law school. Mr. Young became a close friend to the entire Garris family and gladly notes that Jack and Helen Garris treated him like he was a member of their family.
Helen’s legacy is one of selfless service, quiet resilience, and unwavering dedication to the values that both her husband and Kangdukwon Taekwondo embodied—integrity, discipline, and perseverance. She was a woman who understood that true impact is often made not in grand gestures but in steadfast commitment to something greater than oneself.
Her passing marks the end of an era, but her influence remains embedded in the foundations of Kangdukwon Taekwondo in North America. She leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, and service that will be remembered for generations.
Helen Garris is survived by her family, who continue to honor the values she held dear. Though she may no longer walk among us, her spirit lives on in the traditions she helped sustain and in the lives she touched with her kindness and dedication. May she rest in peace, reunited with her beloved Jack, knowing that her quiet yet powerful role in shaping Kangdukwon Taekwondo’s legacy will never be forgotten.