We knew so little that morning,
That God would call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
You did not go alone.
For part of us were with you,
The day God called you home.
You left beautiful memories,
Your love is still our guide.
Although we can not see you,
You are always by our side.
Our family chain is broken,
And nothing seems the same.
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again.

R.I.P Grandpa



Last few months of your life dad.  I know you won't be with us and I know it will be very soon. I had taken step be close with you and to serve you well. Always love you and life go on.
Short summary in the picture- You, taken on Jun 2018; Mon and Dong visit you at your eternity home on May 08 2019; Your grandson Sean and me (Dan) taken on May 9 2019 at 11:20 PM, the very last picture of me and Sean.


                                                                                               WE  LOVE  YOU !!

As we look back over time
We find ourselves wondering …..
Did we remember to thank you enough
For all you have done for us
For all the times you were by our sides
To help and support us …..
To celebrate our successes
To understand our problems
And accept our defeats
Or for teaching us by your example,
The value of hard work, good judgment,
Courage and integrity
We wonder if we ever thanked you
For the sacrifices you made
To let us have the very best
And for the simple things
Like laughter, smiles and times we shared
If we have forgotten to show our
Gratitude enough for all the things you did,
We’re thanking you now
And we are hoping you knew all along,
How much you meant to us!

Dearest Dad,

I will always remember you as a faithful husband, a caring father, and a proud soldier. I'm so thankful for all the hard work and sacrifices that you made to help our family start a new life. You left behind your home in Vietnam and everything you were familiar with for the unknown of America. And even after that, you were able to raise all seven of us in a safe environment, while teaching and inspiring us to have good morals and work ethics.

When I became a mother, it was you who stepped up while mom was sick to take the role of a nurturing grandfather. I can picture the times you fed them and how they sat on their booster seats eagerly anticipating their next spoonful of yummy pho. I can recall how many times you've had to change their diapers and cradle them gently to sleep. I fondly remember the days when you held their hands and strolled with them in the park.

You have lived your life with grace and dignity and filled our lives with love and warmth. Your handsome, bright smile will always comfort me when I'm missing and thinking of you.  Rest in peace Cậu.

Always and forever,
Your baby Sugar


Dear Papa Ong,

As my grandpa, you were nice, caring, and loving. I know that you loved all of us no matter what and you loved us through happy and difficult times. When I did a report about you, I learned about what you did to contribute to South Vietnam and what you did throughout your life. I want you to know that I have always loved you and I never forgot about you. You are a memory that will never be forgotten. I hope you have a good time in Heaven.

Sincerely,
Ethan Yang

Dear Papa Ong,

You are a great grandpa. You played with me when I was a baby, and I had lots of fun playing with you. Although I can’t remember all the times I spent with you as a baby, I know I had a WONDERFUL time with you. I have memories from my head that will never fade away because they were so amazing and awesome. I am very sad that you have passed away, but I know you will always be watching me from Heaven and that you will always be in my heart. I hope you have a wonderful time up in Heaven. Thank you so much for giving me such a happy and enjoyable life! 🙂

Your Granddaughter,
Katie


Dear Papa Ông,

Throughout my childhood and even till now, I have saved and treasured the fond memories that I've had with you Papa Ông. You were the person that took care of me when my parents couldn't, the person that fed me, and the person that made me smile. I'm proud to say I coined your name Papa Ông when I was a child because you were like a second "papa" in my life. I'm so glad that you are my grandpa, Papa Ông. You will always be remembered and loved.

PS. Thanks for passing down your handsome chin (cằm chẻ) to me...... ツ

Your Grandson,
Alex

I remembered growing up, my grandfather was a gentle, and quite but discipline man. I recalled looking at his happy face when he came home from work, looking at his grandchildren studying or playing in the backyard after school.  Ong Ngoai, I will missed you dearly as I remembered you always said to me: “come sit down with me, I know you have time.” As I sat down, eating your home cooked food and listening to your stories or asked me about my day! I cherish every moments with you. Rest in peace, grandfather! 

Your first grandchild,  Kimmy


Ông ngoai, I wish I knew your stories, but you were a private man. My memories of you were limited to old photographs and videos, but I'll always remember your contagious smile and laughter. You had a sharp wardrobe, which compelled me to steal some of your white pocket tees. You provided a home for my cousins and I to play in after school. You gave us money for earning good grades. You were a quiet, but proud and kind grandfather, and I love you. Rest easy, ông.

I remembered the first time I met my Father-in-law in Forth Wayne, IN, he advised me to continue for higher education before allowing me to marry his first daughter, well I kept my promise to him and I did it Cau !!!, Thank you for that GREEAT advise!.

As we shared the same background from Military, I remembered every time I visited him, he always talked about some good and bad memories about VN war, and during the conversation he always served me that Olong hot tea in a tiny cup, occasionally  Bun Bo Hue carefully prepared by himself, and I always told him, delicious and thank you Cau and he always gave me that sweet smile back...
Goodbye and good night Cau, sleep well... you are always in my heart and I love you!!!



What I remember the most about my dad is that he loves to drink King Oolong tea and smoke cigarettes; either Dunhill- or 555-brand cigarettes.  It’s so easy to get gifts for him on every Christmas, New Year, or birthday occasion.  At our family gatherings during Lunar New Year, my dad would bring out his King Oolong tea and invite everyone to drink.  It was not just any kind of tea.  It’s the kind of tea that, in old times, only kings and nobles would drink this. The art of drinking this kind of tea is very refined and exquisite.  Filtered water is used to brew the tea in a tiny, 3-ounce, earthen teapot.  I normally enjoy drinking a big cup of tea every day, which usually would be inexpensive tea, like jasmine or green tea.  So when my dad invited me to drink tea with him, out of habit, I brought a big mug for my dad to fill up.  My dad just broke out laughing and told me “Silly girl! Your teacup is even bigger than my tiny teapot!”  Everyone had a good laugh at that silly moment. Looking at the pictures below, you can tell how his face lit up every time he received his favorite gifts.  I will sorely miss Dad.  These memories would come back to me vividly every time I see them on display.

One of our favorite dishes that we shared in common was “canh bau”, which is a soup made with Vietnamese squash and fresh shrimp.  It was special to us the same way that chicken soup is for the soul in America.  In the last 4 to 5 years of his life, as his health was declining, I gave up giving him cigarettes and tea. Instead, I chose to cook and bring this soup to him every time I visited. It was very comforting food for him to eat. He was able to eat more of it compared to other dishes.

There are so many memories about him that I can go on and on. But these were the most memorable ones that will forever be in my heart when I think of him.

Rest in peace Dad.  I love you!




I grew up at my grandparent's house, playing with my cousins after school.  We would spend countless hours in the backyard pretending the trees and shrubs were a clubhouse.  I remember playing by myself in my grandfather's bedroom.  His desk neatly organized, where everything had it's place.  I'll never forget the way he tucked his shirt into his pants and wore his sandals with socks.  The way his eyes would crinkle when he laughed.  These images are forever ingrained in my memories.  My grandfather was a strong and compassionate man, who overcame great adversity to give his family a better life.  Because he was so deeply invested in our education and success, I strive to live my life in a way that would make him proud. Thank you Ong Noi for your love and support.  Thank you for the wonderful memories.  I love and miss you everyday. 

My Vietnamese wasn't great, and so we didn't really have much intricate conversations besides talking about college and that work has been difficult. I didn't know how to communicate to him that I was living on the edge between depression and despair on the one hand and steadfastness and hard work on the other.

But I remember he warned me not to get involved in politics. And where was this coming from? Given his former rank in the South Vietnamese army, he was most likely asked to participate in movements to continue the fight against the communist regime. But he declined, according to what I remember him telling me. I don't clearly remember the reasons. I can only guess that what he was trying to say was to preserve myself; for people readily seek voluntary martyrs to sacrifice everything for a cause. Maybe having a wife and 7 children, after surviving war... maybe you start thinking about how to preserve life. Years ago, during my grandparents' (50th?) anniversary, my aunts and uncles pooled money together to buy a really nice mattress as a gift. And you know what Ông did? He had it returned. He told his children to keep the money; he didn't need anything fancy. I remember my aunt being quite upset, because she said that Ông worked so hard, the least she and her siblings could do to show appreciation was to give him something comforting (in a physical, practical sense).

I know being in the military made him a rather strict, disciplined man. My mom can attest to that in how Ông raised her. But at all the family gatherings, and the brief glimpses of him that I've had when talking with him, I just got the sense that he regarded his family as the most precious gift in the world.

There is one thing we have in common. We both love cá kho tộ (catfish clay pot).

 Among my favorites include celebrating  Tết and casual get together- eating sweets and drinking his King’s oolong tea he served us artfully in the tiny clay pot. We would chat for hours with him and the whole family until someone wanted to leave; and not I, not my Dad. 

Then those times we just popped in for a visit to get served with his homemade  Bún Bò Huế  - my Pinkie grew up eating it throughout her younger years.

 My first official saving account booklet when I was 12.  He financed $100 so I could get a stainless steel digital red LED light watch back in the 70’s.  It was that watch that got me into the savings, depositing, and watching the account grew; with him proudly drove me to the bank every single time.

I was his favorite!

                        💚   Sealed With A Kiss,  Cậu     💚

I always remember his sumptuous and delicious bowl of "Bun Bo Hue" that he proudly prepared for us, the  oolong tea sessions that he patiently served the thirsty crowd  and  the ten lucky lotto tickets to everyone during each New Year get together (I did win two dollars !)
Miss you Cau and Rest In Peace

OBITUARY

David D. Pham

May 25, 1932 – April 14, 2019

Willow Glen Funeral Home

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