Dan Khac Nguyen

May 2, 1931 – May 12, 2021

Dan Khac Nguyen passed away peacefully on May 12, 2021. Dan was born in northern Vietnam and relocated to South Vietnam with his wife, Tuyet. He lost his right hand in his birth country’s war against communism and then became a senior layperson in the Catholic Church. As his wife and children fled Vietnam at the fall of Saigon, Dan was captured by the communist regime and held for 7 difficult years until his wife was able to work with St. Edward’s Catholic Church of Waterloo, Iowa and the American Red Cross to gain his release to Waterloo. After moving to Fort Worth, Texas, Dan became active in the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Despite having only one hand, he was adept at designing and building structures and tools as well as being a proficient gardener, often producing enough food to barter for goods and services within the Vietnamese American community.

He played many roles in life and positively impacted many people. As a grandparent he played the role of parent. As a father-in-law he played the role of teacher. Through his activity in the Church, he played the role of spiritual leader, and in his role as a caring man he played the role of benefactor to hundreds of school children in Vietnam. Dan and Tuyet were very giving, often sharing what they produced through their hard work or gifts that they received, with others in greater need. Making do with possessions that were well used while they gave something new to those who had little, be it material items, money, guidance, knowledge or wisdom. He will be missed.

Dan is pre-deceased by his wife of 68 years, Tuyet, who passed away in 2017 and his eldest daughter, Lien (Trung), who passed in 1999. He is survived by seven children: son Peter (Kim) Nguyen of Texas, daughter Spring (Tien) Nguyen of North Carolina, daughter Thanh Dawn Nguyen of California, daughter Thuy (Jim) Saliba of Georgia, daughter Thao (Chris) Romero of New Mexico, son Tom (Oanh) of North Carolina and daughter Taylor Nguyen of Texas. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren: Dee (Michael), Lilly (Tan), Ngoc (Jason), Tuyen, Tony, Linda, Lisa, Thomas, David, John, Michael, Huy, Christina, Hope, Andrew, and Olivia; as well as two great-grandchildren, Kenny and Grace.

Visitation on Sunday, May 23, 2021 from 2 to 7pm at Shannon Rufe Snow Funeral Chapel, 6001 Rufe Snow Dr, Fort Worth TX. Funeral Mass on Monday, May 24, 2021 at 10am at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 5109 E Lancaster Ave, Fort Worth TX and burial immediately following Mass at Shannon Rose Hill Cemetery, 7301 E Lancaster Ave, Fort Worth TX. The family requests no flowers or donations. Your prayers are appreciated.