Lang Quoc Beall

My mother told me I could be a writer. I believed her and she believed in me. So writing her obituary and biography will be the lifelong homage to the woman who made me who I am and who I could be and who I wasn’t. Many thanks to everyone reading this who travelled, who sympathized, who knew and loved her. I know I speak for my sister Lisa and our families when I say your kindness and support are a gift we treasure and will always.

Sincerely and with much love ~ Lana

Lang Quoc Beall was a complex woman. Equipped with a clear and calculating focus, she possessed a tough-mindedness she saw as asset she intended her daughters to inherit. Her constant refrain when there were tears was “The mind is the matter” - her version of “Mind over matter” - but it worked and I got it. She had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and she was at ease with the role of mother. She read us Tintin and made fantastic dinners most nights at home. Taught us tennis. How to knit and mind our manners. Lang always sought the scene of where the action was. She was popular and well-liked. Sociable, charming, worldly and pleasant, Lang was talented at putting people at their ease. She was a gracious hostess and fastidious homemaker. Her parents were Bo Dan Ong and Tran Thu Dung. Lang was raised in Vietnam. Always able to express herself well, Lang possessed strong communication skills, facility with language, and empathy that endeared her to people all over the world. She was a pessimist who still tried to find the good in any situation. Blessed with a balanced attitude, Lang was able to relate well with others. Her occasional role as family mediator gave her the opportunity to ease tense situations when they occurred. She was the linchpin of her family - keeping touch with nieces, nephews, in-laws, and far flung friends. During the days of snail mail and long distance calls, the care and effort expended are all more notable. Lang was raised with 5 siblings. Tom Ong (deceased), Long Ong, Andy Ong, Otto Ong and sister Germaine Ong. Lang had a strong desire to be matriarch and keep family together. Through her dedication, family and friends got a shot at the American dream (Canadian dream too). She was a patriot. She cried every time she sang the Star Spangled Banner and she sang it loud and well. As a young child, Lang showed her creative ability in many ways. She was outgoing and animated. Lang enjoyed new activities and pursued a variety of interests. She took part in badminton and tennis (won lots of singles and doubles and mixed doubles tournaments). Our home was filled with tennis trophies and African violets and orchids . In her spare time, she liked to paint with watercolors and travel and entertain. And Lang's memorable achievements included singing in choir at the Vatican. Lang attended primary public school in Vietnam where she made lifelong friends, then graduated French Catholic high school. She obtained her American GED in New Jersey. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was languages and she was fluent in French, English, Vietnamese and 3 dialects of Chinese. Lang met her husband Pete (EW Beall) in Vietnam. She said she was taken by his larger than life presence and his protective, capable way. They married in the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas on September 28th, 1968. They traveled the world for Pete’s work as civil engineer. The nomadic lifestyle honed Lang’s talents for adapting to constant change, she was at ease anywhere and everywhere. She was a homemaker and made homes all over the world. From cottages in Scotland to compounds in Iran, we had a home wherever we were. Later in life, she became friends with Linda Jurina and Mimi Beall - whose love and friendship she cherished her whole lifelong. Their guidance and support sustained her through tough times of widowhood and single parenting. Very much like a kid herself, Lang identified with the inquisitive and creative side of her children’s personalities. She saw the value of play, loved games and sport, and her joie de vivre was infectious. It was hard not to be swept up in her exuberance when she was happy. She encouraged our interests especially in the sports and arts. She was able to direct her energy and spontaneity towards helping her children acquire added common sense skills and less common sense skills. But she did it to give us an edge - an edge Lang implicitly knew would serve her daughters in life. Lang and Pete had 2 daughters, Lana Koga and Lisa White. Her daughters and sons in law (Peter Koga and John Michael White (Jack)) gave Lang five much beloved grandchildren, Sophia Koga, Phoebe Koga, John Micheal White, Nina White, and Daphne Koga. Lang was a lover of animals and cherished her pets - Lustic, Delilah, and Petey. She stopped to save turtles crossing streets. She collected strays and had a soft heart for underdogs and dogs in general. One of Lang’s favorites was Lucky. They were best friends for 11 years. His life will never be the same.

Lang passed away on September 4th, 2022 due to complications with Lewey Body Dementia. It was her 81st birthday. Lang died peacefully at home with her family. She is survived by children and their families Lana and Peter Koga, Lisa and Jack White and siblings Long Ong , Andy Ong , Otto Ong and Dr Germaine Ong.