Rick Sai Hsiang Ho

Rick is survived by his wife, Debbie Li O and three children, Norman, Jessica, and Sonja and five grandchildren, Calvin, Brandon, Jasmine, Thane, and Brandt.

Rick is also survived by his younger brother Ho Sai Fook and numerous nephews and nieces. He is predeceased by his father Ho King Sau, his mother Tang Yuk Chun, his older sister Ho Sai King, and older brother Ho Sai Sang.

Rick was born on May 3rd, 1940, in Mong Cai, Vietnam. He really enjoyed school, but his family was very poor. He was able to excel in his studies and attain government subsidies to help with his education. He studied Marxism, the teachings of Mao Zedong and the Art of War and applied it to his daily life. He became part of the Vietnamese Nationalist Movement to free Vietnam from the French colonization. In 1955 the Vietnam War started.

In 1957 he went to Chong Hwa Secondary School in Hanoi. After graduation he join the Vietnamese Central Counterintelligence Department and the Defence Department. In a few short years, he attained the rank of Major in his department. His team was successful in thwarting the efforts of American and French Intelligence. In recognition, Ho Chi Minh invited him for lunch and awarded him the medal of honour for his accomplishment.

Rick met his wife, Debbie Li O Cheng when she was a preschool teacher at Chong Hwa Secondary School in 1966. They were married in February in 1970. Soon afterwards came the birth of their son, Norman and their daughters, Jessica and Sonja. Working in Counterintelligence, he had to conceal his real job and say he work for the police department. In 1978, as refugees escaping oppression from the Vietnamese government toward all Chinese, the family took the train to China, and applied for immigration to Canada.

In April 1981 the family finally arrived in Canada. He worked hard to provide for his family. He was employed as a kitchen helper at Westin Bayshore in 1981 and then for the Pan Pacific Hotel. During this time, he also bought a fishing boat and became a self-taught crabber during any spare time. Days off and weekends were spent working on this boat and going to the ocean. This went on for many years. He had many aspirations to help his family. Rick always kept himself busy. He was a student of life and always had a thirst for knowledge. He was involved in many upstart companies to make connections and trades from Vietnam to Canada. During all this time what never wavered was how proud he was of his children, Norman, Jessica, and Sonja. He will be forever missed by his wife, his children and his grandchildren.