Phuong Nghi Chau

August 28, 1961 - December 20, 2024

Our beloved Phuong Nghi Chau was the third of ten children born to Sau Kay and Muoi Quan on August 28, 1961 in Saigon, Vietnam. She lived an adventurous life in Vietnam up until the age of seventeen. With her parents, siblings, grandmother, and cousins, they fled Vietnam and sought asylum in Hong Kong. They endured living in a refugee camp until they were sponsored to the United States by a church.

They entered the United States in 1979 and resided in their first home in Wenatchee, Washington. As one of very few Asian families, they were quickly immersed into a new culture. Soon after, Phuong with her eldest sister moved to Seattle. Together they entered the workforce of industrial sewing, working long grueling hours with very little pay. It was here she began her lifelong career. Phuong was a quick learner, making her highly skilled.

In 1985 she moved to California to live with her aunt, grandmother, and seven cousins. She further honed her craft and became the best sewer in the factory. Her relentless hard work and ingenuity resulted in her being the highest producing sewer. Phuong often said 24 hours in a day wasn't enough.

Several years later, she moved to Minnesota to help her friend startup a business. This was where she met Huy, her husband, in 1991. They married in Louisiana shortly after and moved back to Seattle to start their family. In 1993 they had their first child, Evan. Then had their second child, Kevin, in 1994. In 1999, Phuong and Huy moved to their forever home and had their last child, Heidi, in 2000.

Phuong worked from home, sewing mass production. This way she could work and still be home to care for her two sons with autism. Her focus had always been her family. Phuong loved hosting elaborate dinners and barbecues for her friends and family. There was nothing she wouldn't do for her family. She even renovated and expanded the kitchen so she could have more gatherings. One of the things that made her happiest was sitting around the table, eating with all her loved ones. Their parties were always full of laugher and stories of joyous memories being shared.

Surrounded by her loved ones, Phuong passed away on December 20, 2024 at the age of 63. The last year of her life she courageously battled non-small cell lung cancer to gain more precious moments with her family. Phuong is survived by her mother (Muoi Quan), husband (Huy Ha), children (Evan, Kevin, and Heidi), and siblings (Ke, Lang, Jimmy, Tim, Keshia, Minh, Quyen, Phu, and Stephanie).

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The family would like to invite you to a luncheon in loving memory of Phuong following the service. Please join us for a meal, beginning at 1:00 PM, and share remembrances as we celebrate her life.

Chua Quan Am Temple

3811 S Holly St

Seattle, WA 98118