I was deeply saddened to hear about Tom’s passing. He was not only a wonderful teacher but a truly generous soul who touched the lives of so many of us with his positivity and wisdom. His Taichi classes were a source of joy and grounding, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been welcomed into them.

Even now, whenever I practice in my backyard, I think of Tom with gratitude. His teachings continue to enrich my life, and I will always cherish the lessons he imparted to me.

Please know that my thoughts are with you during this difficult time. I hope you can find some comfort in knowing how much Tom meant to all of us, and how his kindness and instruction will live on through all of his students.

With deepest sympathy and gratitude,
George

Tom, we miss your smiles. You have left us so soon that would make us all wander. However, as always God wish has overruled us. We just pray God you attain heavenly peace. You will remain in our heart forever.

Thomas was the quiet type but he never lacked a smile.
A hard worker and very knowledgeable member of our Douglas / Boeing Family.
The world will be a sadder and emptier place without him but oh how heaven has gained another wonderful Angel🥲♥️

Thầy Trung , 
You may have left this world but your spirit lives on in every single one of us. Thank you for the unforgettable memories that we shared. We will treasure them forever.

Dear Cô Loan, 
My heart is broken for you and your family.  Thầy Trung was truly one of a kind.  He will never be forgotten by any of us who knew him. Thầy Trung touched so many lives with his kindness and love. His life was like a garland of beautiful deeds that graced the earth with beauty, color, and grace.  I know all of us will miss him terribly, as will all who knew him. 
 I will hold your memory close and remember you fondly each time I practice Tai Chi .  Your role as an inspiring leader has left a profound impact, and your absence will be deeply felt.
In the teaching of the Buddha, all of us will pass away eventually as a part in the natural process of birth, old-age and death and that we should always keep in mind the impermanence of life. The life that we all cherish and wish to hold on. To Buddhism, however, death is not the end of life, it is merely the end of the body we inhabit in this life, but our spirit will still remain and seek out through the need of attachment, attachment to a new body and new life. 
Namo Amitabha
KimUyên-PD Tâm Phước

Cau 5 used to come over to our house every weekend to teach us tai chi in the backyard. From Ong Ngoai enthusiastically following along in the front to me sleepily lagging behind in the back, Cau 5 would gently lead our little band of Earthbenders through the intricate and deliberate stances and motions, teaching us how to calm our minds and be present in the moment. Indeed, in my mind, Cau 5 has always been a sort of Uncle Iroh - a reliable and grounding presence in my life  - always ready with a hearty chuckle, full of sage wisdom, and somehow always miraculously curing people and pets of their ailments with his chi (?!). 

I remember, too, his pet cockatoo, who seemed to share a bond with Cau 5 that my young mind could only attribute to magic -akin to that between Harry Potter and Hedwig. Cau 5 would always proudly show us the tricks he had taught his bird and the one that has stuck with me the most is how that bird, no matter how far it could fly, would always land back on Cau 5’s shoulder. A safe tether to home and family.

And of course, I will forever be grateful to Cau 5 for all that he did for my mom and our family when she passed. My mom was lucky to have a big brother in him and we lucky to have him as our uncle. Without his support, his unwavering strength, and his guiding presence, Bi and I would not have been able to navigate the waves of grief without drowning. 

Cau 5, I will miss your easy laugh. I will miss the feeling of safety and calm in hearing you lead us in Buddhist chants. I’ll miss you.

Love,
Xa

Every memory I have of Cau5 has the same thread of feeling in my mind, as if they were all captured and woven on the same loom. It’s a thread built from strength, security, jolliness, and stability, and creates an atmosphere of reassuring love around all of my memories with Cau5.

As a young kid, I remember Cau5 coming over to our house every weekend to lead a Tai Chi session in our backyard. With him barefoot and grounded into the Earth, I would imagine he was our very own Toph, a strong unbreakable earthbender with enough power to take down any enemy, yet enough love to protect us from harm. Strength. 

I remember family parties hosted at his and Mo5’s house. While I spent most of those parties running around with my cousins, in the background of every memory I have a clear vision of Cau5 standing off to the side of the room, with his bird on his shoulder, watching us with a smile on his face. At some point at every party, I would notice him taking in the sight of his family, watching over us with love. A strong presence that was always there if we needed him. Security. 

Cau5’s smile is probably the strongest physical feature I associate with him. He was always smiling or laughing. One year, when he and his family gifted Xa Viet’s old black Honda Civic, he pulled us all into the garage with a mischievous grin on his face. This car was not like any other car, he told us, since it could never get scratched. To prove his point, he walked over to one corner of the car that had seen better days, pulled out a black sharpie, and colored in the scratch. I still remember how his laugh echoed around the garage. Jolliness. 

In more recent years, I’ve relied heavily on the foundation of stability that Cau5 built for us in the wake of our family’s losses. At every turn, I felt he was there to guide me and support me however he could. He stood by us and led us through the prayers with his strong, solid voice. Stability.

I’ll miss you Cau5. Thank you.

I get to hold in my heart, a precious last memories of Chu Nam, being extremely excited to lite up the fire crackers in the front door and how he’d help me gang up on my dad on lecturing him. 

Chu Nam always had a great big smile too, with his eyes getting loss in the folds of his cheeks and eye lids. Going to miss you Chu Nam, thank you for your strong spirit.

OBITUARIO

Ong Thomas PHAN THANH TRUNG Phap Danh HUE LIEN

12 abril, 1952 – 7 octubre, 2024

Peek Funeral Home

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