Dinh Trong Tran

Dinh Tran passed peacefully in the early hours of September 23rd, 2016 at the age of 76. He will be missed by family and friends. He will be remembered for a life filled with resiliency, grace, style and as a man who had an impact on all those around him.

Dinh was born February 9th, 1940 in North Vietnam. He was the son of Du Tran, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in South Vietnam and grandson of a district governor in North Vietnam.He was 14 years old when his country was split into North and South Vietnam. Dinh’s family was one of the millions of people forced to leave communist Vietnam to seek refuge in South Vietnam before the border was sealed. Dinh’s family settled in Saigon where he attended Chasseloup-Laubat High school.

He graduated college from the University of Pedagogy Saigon. While at school, however, Dinh was drafted into the Army. Afforded the opportunity to serve in the police instead, he chose to enroll in the police academy with two years left to complete law school. He graduated the police academy as a captain and would later go on to rank as a major in the police organization at the Saigon harbor.

Dinh met his sweetheart Lily Trieu while in high school where she attended Lycée Marie Curie High School. He courted her on his motorcycle. Lily and Dinh were married in 1964 while Lily was in Pharmaceutical School. Their marriage was the first non-arranged marriage in both families. They had four children together and there are still pictures of them on that same motorcycle.

Dinh and his family were again forced to leave their home in Saigon in 1975. Determined to save his family, he secured passage out of Saigon by boat. When the time came to board, however, his family and friends were greater than originally negotiated. The captain threatened to cancel the passage. This was until his friends at the police showed up in full force and successfully concluded the negotiation. The entire group of friends and family boarded the boat and they escaped less than 10 hours before Saigon fell.

The family eventually settled in Greenville, TX in 1976. While working in a store bagging groceries, the family identified an Asian food distributor in California on the back of a bag of rice. With the help of the distributor, support from their family’s sponsor, and the resolve to rebuild their lives once again, the family started the first Vietnamese grocery store in Dallas. The store specialized in food and drugs and exported wholesale medicine and correspondence back to Vietnam. The business not only was one of the centerpieces of the Vietnamese community at the time, but it also afforded the family the opportunity for all four children to attend Southern Methodist University.

In 1995 the family was once again required to re-invent themselves when the store suffered a devastating fire. Recognizing a booming nail salon market, Dinh and the family capitalized on the opportunity and opened a location in North Dallas. After several successful years, they expanded to add a business leasing salon suites next door to the nail salon. Dinh operated the businesses seven days a week, charming customers, and serving the community for over 20 years until his retirement in 2016.

While Dinh spent most of his time with family and friends, he could also be found at the black jack table, dance club, or at one of several car dealerships around town – all while wearing his customary handsome dark slacks, white shirt, and friendly smile.

He is survived by his wife Lily Trieu of 53 years; 6 siblings, Khue Tran, Quynh Tran, Nhung Tran, Lien Tran, Lan Tran, and Tu Tran; 4 children and their spouses, Nhan Tran and Van Anh Nguyen, Le Tran, Tama Tran Lisemby and Greg Lisemby, and Justine Tran Pokorski and Chaz Pokorski; 4 grandchildren, Jonathan Tran, Isabella Coulombe-Tran, Audrey Coulombe-Tran, and MaxiLu Pokorski, and an abundance of loving family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for any donations made in Dinh’s name to the Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, 2121 W. Apollo Road, Garland, TX 75044.

Visitation

Friday, September 30th, 4:00 – 7:00 pm

Sparkman Funeral Home

1029 S. Greenville Avenue

Richardson, TX 75081

Catholic Mass

Saturday, October 1st, 8:00 am

Mother of Perpetual Help Parish

2121 W. Apollo Road

Garland, TX 75044

Celebration of Life Service

Saturday, October 1st, 10:30 am

Sparkman Funeral Home

1029 S. Greenville Avenue

Richardson, TX 75081

Burial Ceremony

Saturday, October 1st, 12:30pm

Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home

7405 W. Northwest Hwy

Dallas, TX 75225

Arrangements under the direction of Sparkman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Richardson, TX.