Suong Thu Tran

Suong Thu Tran went home to be with the Lord on July 31, 2024. She was surrounded by family and passed peacefully in Houston, Texas. She was a devoted wife, beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. She was born in Biên Hòa, Vietnam, on August 21, 1938. She was one of seven children and the third eldest daughter. The family later moved to the city of Huế known for its dynasty emperors and perfume river. She went to Đổng Khánh High School in Huế, the biggest all girl school in Central Vietnam. By all accounts, she was a very bright and studious student and was known for her beauty as well as her intelligence. She later moved to Saigon where she earned an associate degree in accounting at Quổc Gia Thương Mại (Ecole Nationale De Commerce).

In 1967, she married her beloved husband, Vien Van Tran, who preceded her in death just a year ago. They were married for over 50 years.

In 1975, during the fall of Saigon, with only a few possessions in tow, she fled Vietnam with her family to the United States. The family was stationed in Guam for a short time and then moved to Camp Pendleton, the largest marine corps base near San Diego, California, where they lived in tent barracks facing the uncertainties of a new home. They were eventually sponsored by Saint Paul's on the Hill Episcopal Church located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and moved there in the fall of 1975. The family had to rebuild their life in America, learning a new language and a new culture while tolerating the bitter cold winters in Minnesota. She employed all her talents (cooking, sewing, knitting, budgeting, short order cook) with grace, dignity and courage in support of her family. In 1978, she moved to Grand Prairie, Texas, and later to Richardson, Texas, to a warmer climate. For a time, she worked as a bank teller and a social worker/translator at the IRC (International Rescue Committee). Her final move was to Houston in 2006, after the birth of her youngest granddaughter.

She was very loving, sentimental, and had a big heart. She helped many people and donated to several organizations and non-profits dear to her, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, churches, temples, and scholarship programs and orphanages in Vietnam. She was a fantastic cook, her specialty being Bún bò Huế, Cá Kho Tộ, Mắm Chưng to name a few. She was smart, very resourceful, organized, punctual, sociable, outgoing, and a proficient pianist. She loved classical music including that of Beethoven, her favorite pieces were Moonlight Sonata, La Prière d'une Vierge, Le Lac de Côme, and Fur Elise. She would always remember everyone’s birthdates and wedding anniversaries. She was gentle but disciplined, and she would raise her children to be the same way. After her beloved husband of more than 50 years passed, she was on the road of living independently. She was scared but courageous and loved him and her family until the very end. She loved talking and texting with her children and grandchildren and always kept up with their lives despite the long distances.

She is survived by her four daughters and their families: Tuyet Anh Ton-Nu (Dean) Olson, Tran Huyen Ton-Nu (Bao) Hoa, Thu Anh Lilly Tran (Son Nguyen), Thi Anh Nina Tran (Reed) Moraw, 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. She was 21 days short of celebrating her 86th birthday. We miss her terribly, but she is now reunited, in peace, with our dad in Heaven, and for that, we are thankful. The family is so grateful for the outpouring of love and support from everyone.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, August 11, 2024, at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas 77077, with visitation from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM, followed by the memorial service from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in memory of Suong Thu Tran to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude, or Chùa Đạo Quang at 3536 N Garland Ave, Garland, TX 75040 (972)-414-3439