Hoa Thi Nguyen

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oakhillfuneral.com for the Nguyen family.

BIBIOGRAPHY

NGUYEN THI HOA was known as many things to different people. She was a loving mother, a gentle friend, and someone special. To family and friends who knew her best, Hoa will be remembered as a very exceptional person.

Hoa was born in 1938(Mau Dan), (khai sinh 1935) at Vinh Huu commune, Go Cong Tay district, Tien Giang province, Viet Nam. As the first daughter of NGUYEN VAN HOA and LE THI CHIN, she grew up in An Ninh hamlet, Long Huu commune, Go Cong Tay district, Tien Giang province, Viet Nam with 3 sisters and 4 brothers. As a typical teenager, Hoa helped her family as she transitioned from awkward adolescence to a mature young woman. Her favorite pastime was cooking delicious meals and sewing clothes by hand for her loved ones.

On March 16, 1953, NGUYEN THI HOA married DO VAN KINH when she was 15 years old at Hoa Binh hamlet, Long Huu commune, Go Cong Tay district, Tien Giang province, Viet Nam. Her husband was older than her 2 years old. His date of birth was 1936. Together, they brought 7 Sons and 7 Daughters into a war-torn country. Her first son was born 1955 (Do Van Dat) and passed away in 1955. Her first daughter was born 1956 (Do Thi Kinh).

When Hoa’s husband joined the USA Army on August 16, 1965 to 1975, Hoa had to raise 7 children on her own (Do Thi Kinh, Do Kim Moi, Do Thanh Son, Do Thai Hoanh, Do Thanh Hoang, Do Thanh Si, Do Minh Tri) when she was 33 years old. To nourish her young family, she bred a variety of animals: buffalo, pigs, poultry, and ducks.

In 1975, the economy spiraled into a depression, but at last, Hoa’s husband returned from the USA Army. Hoa and her husband struggled to provide for their large family. They reared horses, buffalo, pigs, poultry, ducks, and grew rice, corn, sweet potatoes, etc. They taught and encouraged their oldest children to always look after their younger siblings on top of helping with the farmwork. The older siblings Do Thi Kinh and Do Kim Moi, Do Thanh Son, Do Thai Hoanh, Do Thanh Hoang, Do Thanh Si, Do Minh Tri, Do Dinh Dao watched the younger Do Kim Dinh, Do Thi Khanh, Do Thi Sac, Do Nguyen Ly, and Do Van Thanh.

Hoa was usually involved in all sorts of activities with her children’s upbringing. She and her children experienced hardships and disagreements typical of a growing family, but they shared many life experiences over the years. Hoa worked hard to be good to her children and she did her best to fulfill their needs. Fortunately, Hoa enjoyed what she did for a living. Showing a strong work ethic, Hoa worked diligently and did her best to nurture her family.

In 1981, Hoa’s first son Do Thanh Son escaped Vietnam by boat with his uncle no. 7 (Do Van Duc). He arrived in Indonesia where as a refugee because Son’s father was US army, he immigrated to the USA in 1982. Son sent money home to support his parents and siblings. Hoa was happy to hear he had a better future. She released all concerned about Son lived in new environment with his uncle when he was 20 years old.

In 1988, Hoa and her husband worked to save enough money to purchase a small boat. Despite the dangers, they wanted their children to have a better life, because if they continued to live in Vietnam, they wouldn’t have a good future. All 8 of the older children (Do Thi Kinh, Do Kim Moi, Do Thanh Hoang, Do Thanh Si, Do Minh Tri, Do Kim Dinh, and Do Thi Khanh) escaped Vietnam on a little boat. They immigrated to the USA in 1989.

From 1988 to 1994 when she lost contact with her elder children, Hoa became depressed and started losing her memories. For 7 days and 8 nights, she was wrought with guilt that she had sent all 8 of her children to their deaths in the Pacific Ocean. Every day, she sat and waited in front of their home to look outside for the mailman, hoping for good news. After 10 days, she received the good news that all 8 children were still alive. She still missed them and hoped to receive mail from her children. When Vietnam had a telephone landline 5 years later, she waited for long distance calls from her children every weekend. When her older sons Do Thanh Son and Do Thanh Hoang visited Vietnam in 1994, her depression lessened, and her memory improved because she felt happy to be with her children again.

In December 1995, Hoa and her husband had a visa interview. They had been waiting since 1989, when her oldest son petitioned for them. But in October 1995, her husband passed away from a heart attack and Hoa’s depression returned when she was 57 years old. Her 4 youngest children were under 21 years old, and she did not want to leave her teenage children behind. She made the tough decision to immigrate to the USA first to petition her teenage children after.

In August 1996, she arrived in the USA when she was 58 years old. She tried to live in her new environment, but it took her 5 years to adapt. She looked back to Vietnam, waiting for her remaining children to join her.

In 1997 (59 years old) trip #1 back to Viet Nam. Hoa visited Vietnam by herself to visit her 4 teenage children, brothers, and sisters.

In 1998 (60 years old) trip #2 back to Viet Nam during Vietnamese New Year. Hoa and 2nd daughter Do Kim Moi visited Vietnam after Moi and Thuan’s wedding December 1998 to visit her 4 teenager children, brothers, and sisters.

In 1999 (61 years old) trip #3 back to Viet Name after Dinh’s wedding December 1999 during Vietnamese New Year. Hoa visited Vietnam by herself to visit her 4 teenage children (Do Thi Sac, Do Dinh Dao, Do Nguyen Ly, Do Van Thanh), brothers, and sisters.

In May 2002, 2 more of her children (Do Nguyen Ly and Do Van Thanh) were able to join her in the USA.

In 2004 September (66 years old) trip #3 back to Viet Nam , Hoa and her daughter Do Thi Khanh visited Vietnam to visit her 2 remain children (Do Thi Sac and Do Dinh Dao), brothers and sisters.

In October 2006, her remaining children ( Do Thi Sac and Do Dinh Dao) successfully immigrated to the USA. With her children in the USA, Hoa didn’t enjoy visiting Vietnam anymore. She turned her attention to English and American history to pass the US Citizenship to naturalize in December 2012.

In 2014 May (76 years old) trip #4 to Viet Nam, Hoa, Kinh, Moi, Ly, and Dao returned to Vietnam to prepare for her youngest son Dao’s wedding in May 2014. This was last trip to visit Viet Nam which as the last one in her life. Hoa enjoyed traveling. It was a chance for her to renew, relax, and reconnect to her past. Her favorite part of these vacations was enjoying the Vietnamese New Year with her family.

From 2016-2020, Hoa had multiple stays at the hospital. She was scared to stay in the hospital by herself and feared she would be unable to return home. Hoa’s faith became important to her. She was a member of AN LAC Temple, and her nickname is Quang Dieu Hoa.

On Monday July 31, 2023 (86 years old) (khai sinh 88), she was admitted to San Jose Regional Hospital from major strokes (left and right side).

Hoa peacefully passed away at home on August 3, 2023 (06/17/2023 lunar calendar) (Qui Mao). She is survived by her oldest daughter Do Thi Kinh, sons Do Thanh Son, Do Thai Hoanh (Viet nam), Do Thanh Hoang, Do Thanh Si, Do Minh Tri, Do Dinh Dao, and daughters Do Kim Dinh, Do Thi Khanh, Do Thi Sac, Do Nguyen Ly, and Do Van Thanh. Services were held at Oak Hill Memorial Park August 28, 2023 (07/13/2023 lunar calendar, 2 months of June lunar calendar) and August 29, 2023 (07/14/2023 lunar calendar and buried at Oak Hill Memorial Park at 11:15am) and AN LAC temple. Hoa was laid to rest alongside her daughter Do Kim Moi in Oak Hill Memorial Park, San Jose, California.

Simply stated, Hoa was a good and kind person. Hoa enjoyed her leisure time by cooking and sewing clothes for everyone. While she enjoyed her favorite pastimes alone, she was willing to share her interests with others. She will be remembered by her family and friends as a caring and giving person— someone who was a vital part of their lives. Hoa leaves behind her legacy of life-long friendships and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life she touched will always remember NGUYEN THI HOA.