Van Thi Doan

Van Thi Doan was born in Ninh Binh, Vietnam on April 14th, 1931. As a girl Van only a 2nd grade education but she continued to teach herself to read and write. At 17 years old in 1948, Van married Xuyen Nguyễn in an arranged marriage. Xuyen was a teacher. In 1954 with 3 young children, the family migrated to Saigon, Vietnam to have a better life away from the Vietcong in North Vietnam. Van and Xuyen had 8 more children in Saigon, and she took in 6 children in Saigon to care for them from their homeless single mothers. On the last day of the war in 1975, the family escaped from Vietnam to the U.S. and settled in Monterey, California. Van was a woman with a big heart, and put a lot of effort to study in the U. S. History so she can pass her citizenship test in 1980. At that time 5 children were under 18 years old and became citizens when Van passed the test. Van was devoted to all the children in her life! She considered herself very blessed living 46 years of her life in a free country. Van passed away peacefully on November 10th, 2021 at 1:05am. Van was preceded in death of her beloved husband Xuyen Nguyễn of nearly 73 years; Mother of The (Long), Ngan (Mai), Phin (Thanh), Thach (Thu), Chung, KimAnh (Cedric), Suzanne (Mike) Jessica, Ngoc, Tuyen (Lenny), Son (Connie). Grand mother of Quyen, Megan, James, Tracy, Nathan, Nicholas, Kevin, Jessie, Jonathan, Forrest, Sierra, Aris, Michelle, Samantha, Micah, Mina, Kyle, Ryan, Crystal, Gavin, Max. Great grandmother of Josh, Emily, Maggie, Tyler, Kaitlyn, and Brady. A memorial mass service at St. Maria Goretti church, 2980 Senter Road, San Jose, Ca. 95111 on Saturday, November 27th, 2021 at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers please consider donation to St. Maria Goretti Church.