Tan Nhu Nguyen

Tấn Như Nguyễn was born on May 8, 1933 in Mỹ Hào village, city of Hưng Yên, North Vietnam, one of 16 siblings, and passed away on November 21, 2020 in his home, peacefully, surrounded by his beautiful wife of 67 years, Nguyêt Thi Nguyễn, and loving family, in Montclair, California.

He was a loving father of Đức (Hạnh), Hoa (Phong), Trí (Phương), Dũng (Danh), Dung (Cathy), and Kim Hương (Laszlo). Uncle of many nieces and nephews; grandfather to Nichelle, Nam, Carissa, Christine, Jazzy, Melanie, Hannah, Nguyễn Như Liam, Nguyễn Thị Lea, Halligan Hồng, Cassidy, Julian and Bennett. Tấn was fiercely committed to family, his Vietnamese Community, and his adopted Country’s Democratic principles (he voted, in person at his neighborhood polling place, on November 3) . He was a Commanding Officer of the 331 Logistics Brigade of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), fighting with Americans against the Vietnamese Communists.

After he risked his life to help so many leave Vietnam in the final days before the fall of Saigon, April 30, 1975, he, his wife and children started life again in Pomona, CA. As a refugee, Tấn worked as a mechanic technician at a cosmetics jar manufacturing company – a far cry for a Lieutenant Colonel in the ARVN. He was proud to have a job, to take care of his wife and 6 children. All his children are college educated, have careers, contribute to their communities and have loving families of their own. Tấn later became a mailman serving the Pomona Valley residents, until his retirement.