Hanh Xuan Nguyen

In 1953, Mr. Hanh Nguyen Xuan was born in Bac Ninh which is a province of North Vietnam. The following year, his parents migrated to South Vietnam to flee the communist regime. As a student at Nguyen Trai High School, he was diligent in his studies, which led him to pass the first national Vietnamese exam in 1971 and a second one in 1972. Soon after, he joined the South Vietnamese Air Force and was sent to the United States for jet pilot training. Due to the budget cuts by the United States in late 1974, he was sent back to Vietnam.

In 1975, Hanh and the rest of his family fled Vietnam and settled in the small town of Marceline, Missouri. While his siblings went to school, Hanh moved to Macon, Missouri to work as a tool & die technician to support the family. In 1979, Hanh moved to Wichita, Kansas to work at Cessna Corporation. During that time, he met and fell in love with a beautiful young lady named Khanh To Tran. They got married in 1981 and then had two beautiful daughters named Hang and Hong.

After his family was financially stable, Hanh decided to further his education by getting a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lamar University. After his graduation in 1987, he accepted an offer to join NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, which is where he has been for the past 34 years. During his time at NASA, he supported the Human Space flight programs such as the Space Shuttle Program, International Space Station Program, and the Constellation Program. He also supported the NASA Headquarter Chief Engineering Office for developing the NASA Engineering Standards. He received numerous NASA awards.

As a proud NASA employee, he would sport the NASA logo on his shirts, hats, and jackets. During his free time, he enjoyed chatting with friends, exploring the world with his wife, and spending time with his grandsons, Liam (8), Wyatt (6), and Robbie III (2).

August 12, 2021- Blessing Casket at 10:00 AM (Family Members Only)

August 12, 2021- Visitation from 12:00-6:00 PM

August 13, 2021- Burial Ceremony at 9:00 AM at Forest Park East Funeral Home followed by Temple Ceremony at Phap Nguyen Buddhist Congregation

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at below for the Nguyen family.