Kethen So's Obituary
Dr. Kethen W. So passed away on February 10, 2025, in Oakland, California at the age of 56.
To follow Kethen’s obituary below are details of his celebration of life service. We please invite you to proudly share in his accomplished and loving memory, rather than his battle with illness and sudden passing.
Kethen was born on January 15, 1969, in Hong Kong to Cheong So and Pui Lin Cheung.
He grew up as one of three children, alongside his elder sister, Anita, and later his younger brother, Kin. They spent most of their childhood in Choi Hung Estate Marketplace in Kowloon, where his mother sold fresh produce. Kethen attended the nearby Choi Hung Estate Primary School. A favorite childhood memory of his was the rare days when both of his parents could step away from work with him and his siblings to swim as a family at the beach under the scorching sun.
Kethen was a gifted swimmer from birth, eventually training at Hong Kong's Jubilee Sports Center in the 1980s. He represented his swim club in inter-school and district competitions, known for his prowess in butterfly and backstroke which led him to secure numerous medals and multiple championship trophies. Several times, Kethen was the all-around champion in the swim events, cementing his reputation as a highly accomplished and fiercely competitive swimmer.
Kethen was also a cub scout in primary school then joined Troop 117 in 1983. He was a committed member and became highly decorated, earning an abundance of badges that the sleeves of his uniform could not be seen from underneath. His disciplined, respectful, and tenacious character was molded during these years. He also served formative time as a scout leader by the time he left for the United States in 1987.
At the age of 18 following his immigration, Kethen attended Patten Academy High School in Oakland, where he worked tirelessly on his fluency in English, and continued his education at the College of Alameda, University of California, Berkeley, and University of California, San Francisco to eventually become a pharmacist. Graduating with his PharmD in 1995, Kethen would spend three decades building his career and cultivating precious connections at UCSF Medical Center. His professional journey spanned from his clinical pharmacy practice, specializing in hematology/oncology and developing key practice guidelines in his earlier years to his entrance into management roles at Children's Hospital in Oakland to a pinnacle leadership title as the director of pharmacy at the UCSF Parnassus and Mount Zion campuses. Along the way, he was delighted to share his part in piloting electronic health records in oncologic pharmacy at UCSF, a pivotal move for creating comprehensive, safe treatment protocols for cancer patients. He was gratified to achieve his desired Master of Business Administration while simultaneously leading his star pharmacy department too. At the finale of his career, Kethen returned to pharmacy operations management before retiring in June of 2024, following being awarded the title of full clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the UCSF School of Pharmacy.
Beyond his institutional contributions, Kethen was a fierce advocate for the pharmacy profession. He served California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP) as its president from 2015 for two years, as well as contributed as a board member and chaired various committees. He was also honored to be selected as an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) fellow in 2024; 1 in 28 fellows in the nation, selected annually for pharmacists who have excelled in pharmacy practice and distinguished themselves through service and contributions to the profession. One of Kethen’s great passions as a voluntary professor was spreading his knowledge about pharmacy law. While he cherished any opportunity to teach and to mentor, particularly the budding pharmacy talent, he relished sharing the topic of law-making in his profession with students as it spoke to his dedication to advocacy for a safe environment for all pharmacists to practice in, as well as for the invaluable quality of care for all patients.
Outside of his profession, Kethen had a long-time passion for golf and was an enthusiast for sports cars, specifically Mercedes-Benz and Porsche vehicles. Kethen loved grabbing a cup of coffee and a pastry any time he could, especially when spending time with his family and dogs. He loved to cook and was promoted to head chef of his house after his retirement.
Kethen was an all-encompassing family man. He never missed an opportunity to call his parents each day and happily rallied his extended family to share meals for special occasions and for reasons he’d create, just to be in a place altogether to enjoy each others' company. Kethen is a devoted husband to his wife and high-school sweetheart, Kemi, of 36 years, and a loving father to his two children, Kelsey and Kyle. Kethen placed Kemi at the center of his happiness. They loved to stroll around his favorite lakes with their dogs and take joy rides together for day trips along the coast. For his children, he wore every hat possible during their childhood through the day that he passed. He was Kyle’s bonus swim coach and even officiated events at several of his swim meets. He was proudly Kelsey’s Girl Scout troop leader, dubbed the “cookie dealer,” and personal cheerleader from the stands of every kind of game where she cheered, both home and away. He was their welcomed college advisor, their financial educator, and the most influential proponent in both of his children’s careers in public service.
Kethen is known to be an enthusiastic, determined, and outspoken figure in all fields of his life. He is known to seek out every opportunity to improve himself and to uplift others, emphasizing the importance of pursuing education and giving back to the impacts that make one who they are. He is compassionate and a friend to all, always ready to share a good story and memory. He is resilient against all challenges he faces and leads with love and positivity at every step.
Kethen is survived by his parents Cheong and Pui Lin; his wife Kemi; his children Kelsey and Kyle; his sister and brother, Anita and Kin; his brother-in-law, Henry; his sister-in-law, Philberta; his niece, Harriett; and his nephew, Colin. He is a culmination of his family who surrounded him and those he was given the gift of encountering during his education, career, and leisure who embraced him so dearly.
Kethen will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Kethen lived a life of bringing people together, even after his passing.
To honor Kethen’s life, accomplishments, and the people he loved and brought together, a celebration of life service will be held for him on Sunday, February 23 at 10 a.m. at the Chapel of the Chimes at 4499 Piedmont Avenue in Oakland.
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