Chouseng Vang, age 75, of Indianapolis, Indiana passed away on Tuesday, November 10, 2020. Chouseng, one of eight sons and five daughters, was born May 14, 1945 in Phonsavan, Laos to Xai Kao and Pa Her Vang. Chouseng married Tru Mua on January 25, 1963 and together, they had six children, two sons and four daughters. Chouseng was preceded in death by his wife; daughter, Panukoochi Vah; son, Xay Vang; son-in-law, Don Dodson; five of his brothers and all five of his sisters.
At the age of sixteen, Chouseng joined the CIA’s Secret Army in its fight against the North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao Communist forces. He served on the frontlines but was also trained to intercept enemy communication, rising to the rank of captain. When Laos fell to the Communists in 1975, Chouseng led his wife and then four children across the Mekong River, arriving to the Nongkai Refugee camp in Thailand on April 15. They emigrated to the United States on October 22, 1976 where they rebuilt their lives and raised their six children. Chouseng worked at Von Duprin, Inc. in Indianapolis most of his life and retired from there. He was hardworking and frugal and, together with his wife, put their children through college allowing them to all graduate debt-free. Chouseng enjoyed hunting and fishing and cooking savory dishes with what he brought home for his family to enjoy. He was skilled at playing the Hmong keng, an instrument for which his father was renowned for making. Never one to sit still, he always had some kind of home improvement project in progress. In his retirement years he enjoyed traveling to see his children and grandchildren, and seeing the world with his wife. Together, they visited China, Vietnam, Thailand, and their homeland of Laos.
Chouseng is survived by his daughter, Hua Vang Dodson; son and daughter-in-law, Tou and Eileen (Song) Vang; daughter Xeng Karns; daughter and son-in-law, Joy and Friendship Yang; daughter-in-law, Linda (Her) Vang; and grandchildren, Katrina Vue, Christina Vue, Joshua Vue, Francesca Vue, Jeremiah Vue, Michael Dodson, Caleb Dodson, Mark Dodson, Emily Karns, Samuel Vang, Ethan Vang, Shiloh Vang, Olivia Vang, Hope Yang, and Faith Yang.
A private funeral service for the family was held on Friday, December 4 at Little & Sons Funeral Home, 4901 E Stop Eleven Road, Indianapolis, Indiana. He was laid to rest with his wife that same day at Washington Park East Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.
