Obituary of Vinh Thi Nguyen

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Vinh, born in Hanoi on September 20, 1920, passed away peacefully at home on January 6, 2020.  She is predeceased by a cherished daughter, Bich-Ha, and by her husband of 72 years, Dr. Nguyen Tan-Hong.  To “Cậu Hồng”, she was always “Cô Vĩnh”, the slender girl in the sky blue dress that he fell in love with at first sight.  They shared an enduring bond that transcended heartbreak, decades of living in a country at war, and twice being uprooted and starting anew in a new land.

She lived her Buddhist faith by opening her heart and her home to anyone seeking comfort.  She would often remind her children not to turn away someone who comes in need, whether the need was for material things, for emotional support, or perhaps most difficult of all, for forgiveness.

She is survived by her children, Nguyen Quang Han and his wife Dieu-Trinh, Nguyen Trong Hien, Mai-Chau and her husband Nguyen-Thanh Liem, Mai-Uyen and her husband Vu Thanh Vinh; her grandchildren, Hong-An, Hong-Linh, Hong-Giang, Hong-Co, Mai-Khoi and her wife Amanda, Thanh-Chuong and his wife Laura, Mai-Han, Hoang-Kim and his wife Jessica, Hong-Anh, Hong-Dan, Hoang-Nam; her beloved nieces, Thanh-Phuong and Thanh-Hang, whom she helped raise; her step-children, Hong-Ngoc and Hong-Phuc.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, January 13, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at Holmdel Funeral Home.  The first hour and a half of the program will be devoted to a Buddhist prayer service.

Her family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the International Rescue Committee, a non-profit that responds to humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives.