Mr. Dung Thi Thach

Dung Thi Thach, 76, passed away on December 25th, 2014, surrounded by his loving wife, nine children, their spouses, grandchildren, extended family, and friends. His liver failed after battling several years with complications resulting from a gallbladder procedure.

Dung was born on August 20, 1938 in Hai Phong, Vietnam. He is the youngest of seven children. His parents were from a humble family in Fujian, China. At the age of 13, he left the family with his oldest sister and moved to Saigon where he worked hard labor. He spent his teenage years obtaining knowledge from his friends and people he worked with. He taught himself how to read and write in Vietnamese and Chinese.

In his early twenties, Dung met his lifelong companion, Tri Thuy Lam. They married in 1962 and settled down in Quang Ngai. He established his own coffee roasting business and competed against other businesses to have his own brand.

In the midst of the Vietnam War, many fled Quang Ngai; however, with many young children, Dung decided to stay. During that time, the family dodged several bomb raids. When the Communists took over in 1975, most of the family’s assets were confiscated. After the war, he managed to restart his coffee roasting business. In 1978, when many Chinese residents were fleeing Vietnam, Dung opened his home to them while they waited to leave. Not long after, Dung opted to leave Vietnam with his family, knowing that moving to America would provide his children with more opportunities and a brighter future.

In 1980, after living a year in Hong Kong refugee camp, the family arrived in Portland, Oregon. In 1981, Dung moved his family to San Jose, California. He always worked jobs that would allow him flexibility to pick up his kids from school and care for them.

Dung lived a simple life; living with the beliefs of Buddha’s teachings. An avid reader, with a deep interest in medicine, he would recommend various remedies for common ailments. He loved raising animals, whether they were pigeons, dogs, chickens, or fishes. He always welcomed family and friends to his home with open arms, often offering tea and sweets. He enjoyed playing poker with the family and could often be heard laughing loud and saying, “No thinking, all in!”

Dung always told his family to live compassionately and be considerate of others. He would say, “If you open a can of food and empty the contents, remember to push the sharp cover down so it can not cut anyone that will handle the can.”

We will all miss you dearly Dad, rest in peace.