Ka Thao Yang

Ka Thao Yang was born on a Wednesday, May 3, 1933 in the small village of Phou-Bou in Laos to Mr. and Mrs. Yong Lue Thao. Her father’s name is Yong Lue Thao (Ntxoov Lwm Thoj) and her mother’s name is Ying Xiong (Yeeb Xyooj). Ka was the 2nd oldest child to Mr. and Mrs. Thao. She had one older sister and five younger brothers who all had passed before her.

At the age of 17 in 1950, she married the love of her life Chong Shoua Yang (Txooj Suav Yaaj) and they moved to the small village of Hyou-Ma-Pek (Zog Haav Hov Txob). They both built a good home and a good life together in that small village. With a modest beginning, and even with the many great challenges they faced, their hard work and perseverance paid off, and they were able to create a good life for their family. They became a well-known and well respected family in their village. Ka was a very patient, loyal, and supportive wife. Together, they both were very humble and generous people. They were selfless, loving, caring and had great hospitality; giving food and shelter to anyone in need. They treated everybody with great respect and with great love; never hesitated to providing and giving help to villagers or complete strangers. Several people who were in need lived with them including a mentally disabled uncle. Others included two non-relative Laotians, who became very good friends and became part of their family. All together Ka and Chong Shoua had 10 children, 5 boys and 5 girls. Unfortunately, all have passed but 3 remaining. Those three remaining are Nyaaj Ntaaj, Nom Tooj, and Nam Txooj Neeb (Kaab Zuag).

In 1978, after the Vietnam War, in an attempt to escape persecution and to provide safety for their family, they left their home to seek asylum in Thailand. On the way to Thailand, Ka’s husband got severely sick and was unable to continue the long and treacherous journey. She was faced with a heart crushing decision; choosing between her husband or her two young children, Nom Tooj and Kaab Zuag. As you can imagine, it saddened Ka’s heart to leave her husband in the middle of the dense jungle, but she knew she had to take her two children to safety. She had to make a difficult decision that she often spoke of that no-one should ever have to make. Not long after that, she, along with her two children, arrived in Thailand and met up with her eldest son (Nyaj Ntaaj Yaaj) and daughter-in-law (Nam Nyaj Ntaaj Yaaj). Nine months later, in 1980, in middle of a cold and snowy winter, Ka along with her two young children, her son and daughter-in-law with their new born baby (Txawj Pov Yaaj), arrived in Minnesota as refugees. Fortunately, this was not the end of their journey but just the beginning of a fresh new promising start. This fresh new promising start was when Ka came to know and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She was baptized in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Ka was a very loving, caring, supportive, and helpful mother/grandmother/great-grandmother. Ka was a very loyal wife and after being a widow and moving to the United States, she never remarried and dedicated her life to supporting her entire family. Up until recently, in her late years, she had been a very active and energetic person; gardening and raising vegetables, plants, and herbs. She continued to keep her mentality from her younger days of rising early and sleeping late. You could never find a lazy bone in her body even when those bones were aching. She was selfless, very conservative in spending for herself but very generous in giving to God and her family. She loved all kinds of people, no matter who they are. She always had a smile on her face. She loved to go where ever you go and ate whatever you ate; not picky at all. She just loved to be with her family.

Unfortunately for her remaining family members, in the early Sunday morning at 3:00 AM, March 10th, she quietly passed away at Catawba Valley Medical Center and went home to our God in heaven. She passed away in front of all her children and their spouses, grandchildren and their spouses, and great-grandchildren. She is survived by two sons, two daughter-in-laws, one daughter, two son-in-laws, 13 grandchildren, 8 grandchildren’s spouses, 21 great-grandchildren. In total, she is survived by 49 family members.

Our mom/grandmother/great-grandmother will be forever missed. We will always remember her in our hearts and will see her again in Heaven.

Celebration of Life Services will be held at Catawba Funeral Home on

Friday, March 29th, 2024 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Saturday, March 30th, 2024 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

Burial will follow the Saturday services at Catawba Memorial Park.

Condolences may be left at www.catawbamemorialpark.com.

The Yang Family is under the care of Catawba Memorial Park, Funerals & Cremations.