Hai Thai Nguyen

In August 2011, Hai Thai Nguyen had a stroke while on vacation in Kansas. Determined not to let it affect his life, he fought back fiercely and achieved a recovery which surprised all his physicians. He continued to live his life to the fullest until March 22, 2013 when he was admitted to Rex hospital after suffering multiple strokes and peacefully passed away on March 30, 2013 at the age of 83. Born in Vietnam, Hai grew up separated from his parents but had a successful life as a Civil Engineer. He married Em in 1955 and raised a family of eight children before beginning the arduous journey of escaping Vietnam after the fall of Saigon. The entire family finally reunited in Minnesota in 1983. Hai worked for over 15 years as a civil engineer in VietNam developing airports and another 20 years in Minnesota designing highways. He was an active member of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association in Minnesota, helping design and build a new praying hall with traditional architectural details. In 2003, he and Em relocated to North Carolina to seek warmth and be near half of their large, expanding family. His hobbies included gardening, writing, traveling and watching his grandchildren having fun. He also dedicated much time and effort to researching his genealogy, tracing his ancestors back many generations. He has written two books about his father’s contribution to their hometown. He devoted his life to his family, including eight children and 17 grandchildren. The family will receive friends Wednesday, April 3, 2013 from 3:00 to 6:30PM at Brown Wynne Funeral Home, 300 St. Mary’s Street, Raleigh, NC 27605. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests donations be made to the North Carolina Buddhist Association, 4229 Forestville Rd., Raleigh, NC 27616-9620. Please be sure to make a note that the donations are in memory of Hai Thai Nguyen