Nhung Dao Tran

Nhung was a very giving person. She did not hold a grudge and was known for granting someone in need anything she could to help them. She brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body even to the ones who were not pleasant to her. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Nhung lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her.

Nhung was a headstrong woman and had a powerful will to get things done once she set her mind to it. On the last day of April 1975, when the Communist North Vietnamese forces captured the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon, the family had to leave or face grave repercussions from the new government. Her husband, Conson Tran, was a Lieutenant Colonel and her oldest son, Minh Tran, was a helicopter pilot. Because of the connections with the Americans, without leaving the country they would have been sent to a brainwashing camp and would probably die a miserable death. The rest of the family was subjected to being sent to a concentration camp and would probably not be able to survive.

However, Nhung, acting as “family commander-in-chief,” working together with her husband and American friends, organized the escape. The family was divided into two groups: group 1, consist of the daughter, Van Tran and young son, Hung Tran, who were given to an American friend to take to the States as his pretended adopted children. Group 2 consist of Conson, Nhung, and the two sons: Minh, and Dung. Group 2 flew out of Saigon and it was a harrowing escape with a few dangerously close encounters with the Communists. The two groups were later united with Tammy Nguyen in Utah. Tammy was already in Utah, having arrived there one year before in 1974, attending school. Nhung had spent two years from 1972-1974 to legalize the paperwork for Tammy to go abroad for school. Without Nhung’s determination, ingenuity, tenacity, and connections, the Tran family would not be here today.

We OWE her our LIVES and our FREEDOM!

Nhung received a degree in Cosmetology from Weber State College, Ogden, Utah, School of Cosmetology in 1978. She moved to San Antonio, Texas in 1980 when her husband, Conson Tran, graduated from the same school as Electrical Engineer and was offered a job with AT&T Southwestern Bell.

In San Antonio, she enjoyed a career working as an ESL (English as Second Language) teacher. She was a Cross-Cultural Specialist at Walzem Elementary School in San Antonio for 10 years from 1980-1990. The family stayed there until 1993 when her husband retired. A few years later, they moved to Allen, Texas to be near their children, who lived in Dallas & Carrollton.

Nhung liked to play Texas 42 Dominoes and was the Champion at a few tournaments. She had a passion for Square Dancing, Texas Reeler, Swing Stars, Rambling round dance and was a member of a square dance club.

She loved to read and was fluent in both reading and speaking French. She was a beloved member of the French Club, meeting once a week at the La Madeleine, and she spoke French to everyone.

She had a great time traveling with her husband to visit Europe, South East Asia, Canada and of course the United States. Her favorite actor was Christopher Reeve and her favorite movies were Somewhere in Time and This Is Love.

She enjoyed going to the Buddhist Temple occasionally. Her mother went to the Temple to live the life of a Nun after she raised her family. She was devoted to her family; she was married for sixty years and the couple had five loving children. She loved being a grandmother and as a matter of fact, her favorite place to be was anywhere her eight grandchildren were.

Nhung passed away on Tuesday October 16, 2018. She was preceded in death by father Que Van Dao and mother Mui Thi Le.

Nhung is survived by her husband, Conson Tran; five children Conminh Tran, Tammy Nguyen, Dung Tran, Van Tran, and Hung Tran; and eight grandchildren Akiko Tran, Yuriko Tran, Michael Nguyen, Jennifer Tran, David Tran, Samantha Tran-Olmsted, Megan Tran-Olmsted, and Ben Tran-Olmsted.

A Memorial Service was held Friday, October 26, 2018 at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 8011 Frankford Road Dallas, Texas 75252. Her ashes are kept at the Columbarium at Dao Quang Temple 3522 N Garland Ave, Garland, TX 75040. Some of her ashes were also buried at the majestic Red Rock Canyon in Sedona, and scattered in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

The family was blessed by the number of people who attended the service. Many of her family and friends came by, and one by one took the stand to talk about Nhung. At some point the sound of laughter can be heard throughout the chapel as people were reminiscing about her and her life.