Chan Long Cao

(1930-2024)

Born in 1930 in Long Xuyen, Vietnam, Chan Cao was the first son in a family of 5 children. His father was a Colonial Council (ông Hội Đồng) and a rich landowner in the town of Long Xuyen.

During the Indochinese War between Colonial France and the Viet Minh Resistance, with the fear that Chan would be kidnapped, his father sent him to a private Chinese Boarding school in Cho Lon (near Saigon) when he was seven years old.

He attended the Chinese Boarding school until he was 14. Therefore, he spoke Chinese fluently even though he was not a Chinese descendent.

In 1944, he was accepted into the well-known Petrus Ký High School in Saigon and graduated with honors with a Tu Tai diploma in 1948.

Thereafter, he went to work for the City Hall in Saigon in the Accounting Department where he met his future wife who also worked in the City Hall as an Administrative Assistant.

Through her, he became a Christian. They both got married a year later in 1950.

Shortly after that time, the war became more intensified. He got drafted into the Army. He went to the Military Academy in Thu Duc, became a Second Lieutenant and then Captain in the Army. He was not sent into the battlefield but remained in Saigon and was commissioned to work in Administration and Accounting / Finance.

In 1965, he got out of the service and became a civilian. He worked as a high-ranking government official in various fields of taxation, customs, and finance until April 1975.

On 5/5/75, he and the rest of his family came to America when he was about 45 years old. He was determined to start a new life in America.

At the age of 45, he decided to enroll in college and graduated with Honors from the Shoreline Community College in Shoreline, Washington. He spoke four different languages.

After college graduation, he was offered a position as a Vietnamese Bilingual educator for the Tacoma School District where he worked until his retirement.

He was very happy with his second career and became a very dedicated bilingual educator who helped many Vietnamese students succeed in their schooling and in life through the years.

He was well-known in the Tacoma community and they called him “ Bác Cao” or “Thầy Cao”.

Besides teaching in the Tacoma School District, he also taught Sunday school in the first Vietnamese Tacoma Baptist church that he and Pastor Phan Minh Hoi had founded in the 1980s.

He taught Sunday School at that church until his retirement. After his retirement, he and his wife decided to move to California in 1999.

He was well-loved by many for his high spirit, care, love, and concern for others. He fought a good fight, kept his faith and is now rejoicing to be with the Lord who he loved and served.

On August 28, 2024, he went home to be with the Lord in the presence of his loved ones.

Chan Cao was 94 years old. He was survived by four children, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Visitation - Thăm Viếng for Mr. Cao Long Chan will be held Tuesday, September 17, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Peek Funeral Home. Chapel #1, 7801 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683.

Funeral Service - Lễ Cầu Nguyện for Mr. Cao Long Chan will be held Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM.

The Interment Service - Le An Tang will be held on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 from 2:00 PM 3:00 PM at Westminster Memorial Park. 14801 Beach Blvd. Westminster, CA 92683

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