Danny Ken Winn

Mr. Danny Winn (aka Paul Hùynh Khắc Đẳng) was born on May 6, 1931 but his real age was three years older, 92, when he passed away on June 28, 2020 in Houston, Texas. He was born in Long An, South Vietnam, the second child of a family of five boys and one girl. He’s survived by his five daughters, three sons, ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Our father graduated from Thủ Đức Academy, and was a Captain in the South Vietnamese army when he met and fell in love with our mom in 1955 in Ban Mê Thuột, where they got married and moved to Saigon. In 1956, our dad left for France to study at Sorbonne Law School. Two years later, he completed his law degree and started his career as Postmaster General (Trưởng Tỵ Bưu Điện). In 1967 our dad left for France again to train at École National des Doannes (a National Customs School that provides training for senior customs officers), and then to Japan and New York to further all his customs training. His hard work paid off because when he returned to Saigon six months later, he became director of the custom house at the port of Saigon (Tổng Trưởng Ty Nha Quang Thuế).

Our parents had built a successful life and were able to raise eight kids in a very comfortable lifestyle, until the fall of Saigon in 1975. Our dad then left everything behind to immigrate to the U.S. with his wife, his wife’s sister, and his eight children and finally settled in Houston, Texas. Our parents had to rebuild their lives all over again by working in various jobs to raise and feed their eight small children.

Our father has worked hard his whole life, and has always put his family before him. He was full of love, but was also a strict disciplinarian who has always instilled in us strong work ethics and values. His hope for us was to become successful adults, and to use our blessings to help others. The only successful of all his five siblings, dad has tried to help all of them as much as he could when they lived in Vietnam.

Our father has always taught us to be humble, generous and compassionate. His honesty and kindness was exemplary. He was a devout Catholic who rarely missed Sunday masses since he converted 66 years ago. Our dad truly lived a simple life, full of gratitude and free of material attachments. Dad was most happy when he could live as simply as possible, surrounded by his family, his books, and his classical music.

Thank you dad for all your hard work and for everything you have taught us. It’s now time for you to Rest In Peace in heaven and be with your siblings, parents, your wife, and God. Your love will live on within all of us, your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.