Tien Thi Dickinson passed away on January 6th, 4:50 PM at the age of 70. She was born April 12th, 1950 in Saigon, S. Vietnam to her mother Khanh Thi Nguyen and father Canh Van Nguyen, both deceased. She went to school while in Vietnam and continued her education throughout life. Tien married her husband Robert Dickinson on November 12th, 1968. Married fifty-two years and two months with one son, Bobby Dickinson living in Mesa and one daughter Tina Quinoz (married to Ralph Quinoz) and living in Maricopa. Tien was living at her Gilbert residence with her husband and had recently lost her best pet friend, Jackie, a twelve-year-old Jack Russell.
Tien suffered a stroke on her right side on 1-03-21 while at home at roughly 6:00 PM. She was taken to Chandler Memorial Hospital, operated on at 11:00 PM and seemed to have gone thru the procedure very well. The next morning, she suffered a second stroke on her right side and did not recover. Due to Covid 19 only husband and daughter were at her bedside at the time of death. Her son was downstairs and was kept abreast of the situation. Several family members were with him.
Tien traveled extensively with her husband, especially upon retirement. Oversea trips included Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Singapore, Bali, Hong Kong, and trips to Vietnam to visit family. A seemingly endless number of side trips and tours emanated from each city. Tien was able to visit the Angor Wat temple complex in Cambodia. Well known sites like the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, and Mao’s mausoleum were but a few of the sights in Beijing alone. Beijing was preparing for the Summer Olympics at time of visit. The Bund in Shanghai with a side trip to the Venice of Asia, Zhouzhuang; the floating market, Ayuthaya, night market, Golden Buddha, and the train market, all in or from Bangkok; mountainous rice fields, an elephant compound, extinct volcano, temples, and beautiful beaches in Bali; the orchid garden, spice farm, zoo, and a quite different culture in Singapore; then there was Hong Kong, the entire city was a sight. Great food, fantastic shopping and new people at every location made it remarkably interesting and exciting.
Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Lanai were Hawaiian Islands traveled, shopped, absorbed, and enjoyed. A trip by train from Nogales to Mazalan, numerous trips to Puerto Penasco, Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Isle de Mujerles were memorable.
San Diego, Mission Beach, La Jolla, Long Beach, Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Reno and a seventeen-day motorhome trip to Yellowstone with friends were all special as wells as numerous trips to Las Vegas with friends. Niagara Falls, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Mammoth Cave, Cumberland Lake, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Washington D.C., Williamstown, Chesapeake Bay, New York City, Atlantic Beach, and cruises up and down the Pacific Coast – Tien and her husband were able to visit so many sites in each of these cities. The Bahamas, Coronado (CA), and others that may not be on this list, all were wonderful.
Tien loved holidays and gatherings, especially when she hosted them. Whether it was two or fifty guests there was always twice as much food and drink as needed. This past Christmas she had a truly remarkable time; decorations front and back with gifts for everyone.
She made friends easily and some became life-long, despite the moving and other upheavals that often occur. These friends are family: Bob and Tinh Sequeira since 1978, John and Tri McHazlett since 1976, Ron and Cuc Mendenhall since 1991, and Quyen since 1997. Her nephews Tony and Michael were very close to her. It took Tien ten years of collecting documents, keeping them updated, government office visits, congressional letters - all in her efforts to bring family over. She was successful in bringing the families of two brothers, a sister, and cousins with their families. She helped them in their various successes they have had in country, including citizenship. Her outside beauty was surpassed by her inside spirit and that was her secret.
Tien traveled from Vietnam to Tucson, Cincinnati, Columbus, Tucson, Claremont (CA), Tucson, Scottsdale, Maricopa, and finally to Gilbert, AZ. In each city she gave up family, friends, and jobs to support her husband’s career. The last few years of her life was spent with her husband surrounded by family and friends. Now she has taken that final trip, but her spirit will always be here with the ones she loved.
Tien is survived by brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, and nieces both here in Phoenix and overseas. Services will be held on Wednesday, January 13th, 2021 at Green Acres Mortuary in Scottsdale, AZ. Flowers and cards are appreciated.
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