Obituary of Thu Minh Nguyen

Thu Minh Nguyen

September 19, 1934 – September 21, 2023

Thu Minh Nguyen passed away peacefully on September 21, 2023, in Santa Ana, California.

She was born in Hanoi, Vietnam to mother Nguyễn Nhã and father/writer Hoàng Đạo Nguyễn Tường Long in Tự Lực Văn Đoàn (Self Reliance Literary Group). As a child, it was apparent that she enjoyed reading, learning, and singing with Trưng Vương High School Choir and learned to speak a total of three languages Vietnamese, English, and French. In 1954, when North Vietnam fell under Communism, she and her family fled to South Vietnam and sometime later attended the University of Saigon and Sydney Teachers College in Australia.

In 1967, she earned her bachelor's Degree in English. She devoted herself to teaching and was an excellent teacher that was loved and respected by generations of students. Prior to 1975, she taught English at Gia Long and Le Van Duyệt High School, Vietnamese-American Association, and English Laboratory in Saigon, Vietnam. From 1975 -1992 she was a private tutor in English for students who wanted and planned to leave Communist Vietnam. 

In 1992 she settled in the US, and from 1992-2006 taught SLEP/SPED at Kaimuki High School and Jarrett Intermediate School, Honolulu, Hawaii. She spent the best years of her life in Honolulu, immersed in the sounds of ocean waves, the breezy and warm air of the island, the Hawaiian music, dance, and lush landscape. In 2006, she moved to Westminster, California to be with daughter Đặng Thơ Thơ, son Đặng Văn Khôi, and grandson Cookie (Daniel Nguyễn Trường Đăng).

In addition, to all her other many giftings and talents, she translated English Romanticism poems into Vietnamese. Minh-Thu loved art, and liked to be surrounded by works of art at home, and even practiced the art of flower arrangement, especially Ikebana (Japanese style). Minh-Thu had a beautiful voice, loved classical music, and played the Hawaiian guitar since her high school years.  She became one of two main singers for Saigon Radio Student Band in the late 50’s, a member of Westminster Chorale from 2011 until the Covid-19 Pandemic, performing at Rose Center Theater, Westminster City Hall, and on various occasions at Churches too.

In her later years, she took great pleasure in Photoshopping her pictures by hand and chose a picture that she looked the best, made several copies, cut her “best” face out of that picture then pasted it on other pictures of her. Sometimes used a pen to do makeup on her pictured face.

Sadly, after a year of battling against cancer, she passed away while surrounded by those who loved her most and will be dearly missed.