Le Van Vo

Le Vo was a beloved friend, teacher, husband, father, and grandfather. He began his life in poverty, but worked his way to success and amazing achievements. His parents were extremely poor when his mother gave birth to him in Vietnam in 1934. He was indentured to a farm and was forced to harvest rice paddies. Because of this, he lost touch with his brothers and sisters. The only brother he knew of passed away and left behind children that Le got to know and supported later in his life. After he worked enough to pay off his debts to the farm owners, he continued to work on several other farms in Hue. In his mid-twenties, he headed to Saigon in search of a different work environment. Although he was illiterate and had no opportunity for formal education, he pursued his dream to open up his own business. In the city, he built his own stand with found wood and began selling smoothies, as well as various beverages, to start what would eventually become a food stand. He looked to the French, who were occupying the country at the time, for inspiration. He was particularly fascinated with French cuisine because it was unlike traditional Vietnamese food, but the fusion of flavors surprisingly went well together. Without any prior culinary training or knowledge, he taught himself how to flavor and pickle his own meats. He sandwiched his unique products in baguettes, which were borrowed from the French. By and by, he learned how to bake his own baguettes.

After 15 years of continuous business developments, including running several of his own carts and manufacturing his own meat products, Le had embedded his concept in Vietnamese cuisine by discovering a harmonious pairing of traditional French bread and Vietnamese delicacies. As his business was blossoming, so was his relationship with Lan Nguyen, whom he married in 1965 and bore six children (Son Vo, Loc Vo, Thuy Kim Nguyen, Thi Nguyen, Huong Nguyen, and Thuy Dan Nguyen) with. With his success and growing family, he escaped from the Vietnamese communists in 1972 and came to America to ensue a better future for his children. Two months after arriving in San Jose, California, Le already acquired a well-established name and deli. From there, he mentored many of his friends and in-laws and taught them how to open and run their own delis in other states. He gave the same opportunity to his children, which led them to managing their own successful businesses today.

Le's accomplishments did not cloud his ideas or vision; he remained charitable and generous toward friends, family, and even strangers. Despite his busy schedule, he made an effort to visit Vietnam and volunteered to do charity work, from feeding the poor to building wells for people in small villages that provided clean water for them to drink. Le endured a lifetime of hard work, but lived to sacrifice every ounce of himself for his family. Even during his last days, he demanded for money to be sent to friends and relatives he knew in Vietnam that he knew were less fortunate than him. Rather than having his friends and family pay him back through monetary means, he simply wanted them to take what he'd given them to better their own lives. Needless to say, he was incredibly charitable and giving, and dedicated his life to helping others.

Arrangements under the direction of National Funeral Home, Falls Church, VA.