Loc Vu Chu

He was born on November 20, 1939, in Hanoi, Vietnam to Chu Van Khue and Vu Thi Hien who sadly passed during childbirth. Having never known his birth mother, Loc was raised by his paternal aunt, Chu Chi Thang, Khue's older sister. He spent his childhood in the countryside during the French Indochina War. While his father was off fighting the French Army for Vietnam's independence, Loc raised chickens, fished from rivers and walked miles to school under the cover of night.

Loc completed high school at Chu Van An high school and subsequently earned a BA degree in public administration and MA in Finance Administration at QGHC (Quoc Gia Hanh Chanh Khoa 7 and Cao Hoc Hanh Chanh Khoa 1). He gained more credentials by earning a BA in Enforcement Law at the University of Saigon School of Law.

Loc began his lifelong career in public service in 1962 when he served as the Personnel Office Chief at the National Institute of Administration. He eventually became the District Manager and Management Analyst for the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance.

On April 7, 1968, Loc married the love of his life, Tran Thi Bich Lien. Together, they welcomed their first son, Brian Vuong Tran Chu, born in 1969 in Saigon, Vietnam.

Due to his experience in the public sector and academic achievements, he was awarded a special and well-earned accolade: a USAID scholarship to study abroad at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California in 1974.

His original intention was to return to South Vietnam following his U.S. education to help shape Vietnamese public administration utilizing the ideas and skills he learned at USC. Unfortunately, with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, that goal would never be realized.

With no country to return to and forced to live in a new land, Loc forged ahead. He convinced USC to allow him to finish his degree. He completed his coursework in just 1.5 years and earned a Master of Public Administration in 1976.

Loc was reunited with his wife and son in 1975 a few months after they fled Vietnam following the fall of Saigon. By 1977, Loc found work as a social worker in Los Angeles County. He and his young family moved to Burbank. By 1978, Loc began working for the California Department of Motor Vehicles which would ultimately grow into a 22-year career with the DMV. He served in various roles but spent most of his time as an examiner administering driving tests to newly minted drivers who ran the gamut of young, old, rich, poor, and even new immigrants like himself.

Loc and Lien continued to blossom in their new home in America. Through hard work and perseverance, he and his wife not only survived, they thrived. In 1982 they welcomed the birth of their second son, Michael Bao Tran Chu, born in Anaheim, California. In total, their marriage spanned nearly 58 years in which they became homeowners, raised two accomplished sons, one a doctor and the other a lawyer, saw the birth of their grandchildren and supported extended family along the way. In short, they achieved the American dream and carved out a successful life that would have been unimaginable to the visiting student who first arrived at USC in 1974.

Loc's life was punctuated with hardship, from his childhood spent in the jungles of Vietnam to starting over as an immigrant refugee in a new country. But his life was also blessed in many ways. His struggles never derailed his sense of duty, loyalty and love for family. Guided by his principles, he gave everything of himself to his loved ones, not just his wife and children but to his extended family as well. There is a Vietnamese proverb that says: “Tình yêu là su hy sinh”. Loosely translated, it means, “Love is sacrifice.”

And that is exactly the man he was. Our family will always remember his sacrifice and above all else, his love.

Loc is survived by his loving wife, Lien; sons Brian and Michael (and their spouses Neelima and Chris); and grandchildren Sonali, Maya and Oliver.

Those wishing to pay their last respects can attend the viewing on Sunday, April 12, 2026, anytime between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Pacific View Memorial Park located at 3500 Pacific View Drive, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625. A funeral mass will be held the following day on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Family Church located at 13900 Church Pl, Seal Beach, CA.