Visitation: Friday, September 9, 3:00p-6:30p; prayer vigil 6:30p-7:30p at Howell-Edwards-Doerksen Funeral Home, 1350 Commercial St SE. Funeral Mass: Saturday, September 10, 10:30a at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 721 Chemeketa Street NE, Salem, with dedication thereafter at Belcrest Memorial Park, 1295 Browning Avenue S, Salem.
Our Mom was born in Hanoi, Vietnam. She was a wonderful mother and wife. She met Dad while singing in the school choir. Our Dad, Thuong Van Bui, was the Choir conductor and first took notice of Mom for her beautiful singing voice. Our parents were married in Hanoi July 11, 1954.
Just one month after their wedding, the Communist's purge in northern Vietnam forced the couple to emigrate to Saigon, where they started their family. While Mom was busy raising nine children, Dad worked as a teacher, school superintendent and then with U.S. contractors in support of the American war effort. After the withdrawal of American forces, and with Communists closing in on Saigon, in 1975 our family was facing a grim fate. One of us, Anthony, was sent to America to be adopted in the hope that at least someone from our family would survive. The following month the rest of us were miraculously offered a chance to go to America, provided we could gather our family together and get to the airbase within 3 hours. We did! Mom and Dad passed their Naturalization tests and we became grateful and proud Americans.
When we arrived in Oregon, Mom created a wonderful home. She regularly cooked up a storm of amazing food to feed dozens of people. She insisted that everyone stay at her home, even if it meant family would sleep on couches and air mattresses. Holidays and birthdays were always a crazy and wonderful family time, with endless food, laughter ...and hours of Mahjong once the kids were in bed. Most of all, Mom cherished any time she could be surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Mom was justifiably proud that she learned fluent English so that she could fully integrate into American life. She had many good friends from over 20 years of work with the Oregon Department of Human Services.
Our brother, Tuan A. Bui preceded Mom in death. Mom is survived by her beloved husband of 62 years, Thuong, by daughters LeKhanh Daniel and Jennifer B. Sullivan, and sons David D. Bui, Michael M. Bui, John N. Bui, Vu A. Bui, Anthony D. Bui, and Christopher C. Bui, and eighteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren …and counting. Mom is also survived by her beloved sisters Quynh Nguyen, Chuc Nguyen, and Nga Nguyen. We were incredibly blessed to have Oanh as Thuong’s wife and as our Mom, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother. We thank our Mom, along with Dad, for raising us to love God and to be grateful for the opportunities and blessings we have. We know she is with our Savior, Jesus Christ, but until we are all reunited, she will be very deeply missed.
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