My beloved father, Thomas Dow Sr.  has made countless sacrifices to build a new life for us in America from such humble beginnings.  
His story is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the power of faith.  
Throughout his life, he had demonstrated an unwavering dedication to his family and community.  
He worked tirelessly, day and night, to provide for us and to ensure that we had every opportunity to succeed.  
His heart was always full of love and generosity.   His love was the foundation upon which we built our lives.
He and my father-in-law, Giang Le, were the ones that by fate met in a hair salon, and they both spoke highly of their kids.  
After that brief encounter, they planned and introduced us at a dinner gala.  
His daughter, Quan, later became my wife and soulmate.  She and I are very blessed to have two beautiful and wonderful daughters, Audrey and Ashley.
I will forever be grateful for  both of them for their  guidance and support throughout our marriage.
I pledge to live a life that would continue my father’s legacy, which are: of hard work, dedication, high morals, and love.
I will strive to be a source of strength and support for my family, just as he was for us.  
I will honor his memory by living a life that reflects the values he held dear and by passing those values on to my children.
Lord, give me the strength to carry on his legacy and to live my lives in a manner that would make him proud.  
Amen.
Rest in peace my beloved father…

Thomas Dow Jr

From the Pham family, Oanh, Loan, Bich, Cuc, Ninh and Minh.
If a movie was to be made of Mr. Dow, it would be a movie of survival against all odds and he would be a hero. He was instrumental in finding an escape for both our families. He used his wits and abundant power of persuasion to get our families into a Korean ship leaving Vietnam just before the Fall. He gave both our families a chance at another life and for that, we will forever be grateful. Rest in peace, Mr. Dow you will live in our minds.

1Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV) 
sum up whose Dad is as a man of faith.  

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. 
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

LOVE:  
Dad  showered us with his endless love through his first love of Christ.
His walk with the Lord had exemplified the love he had for us through his actions and cares.

PATIENT:
Our dad was patient throughout his life as he walked through the valleys. Yet he continued to trust in the Lord in times of challenges and in times of gladness.
When we escaped Vietnam to start over in the new land of America, our parents worked hard so that we can have a better future.

KIND:
We heard from our Mom that he formed an organization in Vietnam to build a bridge between the Buddhist and Catholic communities for unity to fight against the Northern communists.
In America, he had helped many immigrants to start a business as well as helping friends encountering obstacles with the laws in this new land.
Dad, you took in a homeless man to stay at our home and gave him a Bible.  From reading the Scripture, that man has turned his life around and reunited with his mom.  This is one of my favorite memories and shaped my empathy towards those whose are affected by mental health issues.

Our dad’s character had given us a glimpse of what our Heavenly Father must be like.  How lucky it is to know that he had lived a full life of LoVe reflecting the Fruit of the Spirit!

We are merely a sojourn in this life and one day we shall meet our Maker in Heaven to sing all the praises to God!!

GOD,
           thank You for your steadfast loVe ❤️ 

Love you dad as we forever cherish you in our hearts!  Until we meet again…

Much loVe from your children  & grandchildren ❤️

My condolences to Mrs. Thanh, and her family. Thank you for sponsoring my Grandma to the States, so that now we are all here gathering as a big family. Thanks to you that now we're all living a better life. Hope our prayers will be with you, and to bring you into Jesus's hand, no more misery, and you can live an eternal life!

Farewell my lovely uncle. Thank you for always loving us, caring for us, and giving us the best you can do. Your smile and your kindness will always remain in our hearts.  You were the best uncle I could have asked for. We love you, Bác. Rest in peace. Until we meet again 💞

OBITUARY

Thomas Dow Sr.

May 10, 1934 – December 5, 2024

Chapel of Eternal Peace at Forest Park

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