Sith Thongkham

The Somrak and Thongkham families celebrate the life of Sith Thongkham. He will be eternally remembered as a beloved grandfather, father, husband, brother, uncle, and friend. The family is grieving the passing of their patriarch.

Sith passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 4, 2026, at his home in Danbury, CT surrounded by his loved ones.

He was born on February 18, 1943, in Vientiane, Laos to Chan Sye Hua and Bounsith Thongkham. He was the first and only son of their five children. He was raised in Vientiane, Laos, helping his family in between his boyhood adventures.

In his pursuit of academia, Sith attended Liewtou Chinese School in Vientiane, Laos, Greenwich High School in Greenwich, CT, and Western Connecticut State University, in Danbury, CT. He was the first in his family to be formally educated. Sith spent his early adulthood adventuring through continents, collecting memories, and making lifelong friends.

His greatest adventure began when he met his best friend in Vientiane, Laos in 1962. Bouavanh (Somrak) and Sith were married on October 24, 1964. Sith would continue to love and cherish Bouavanh for the next 62 years of his life. Together they embarked on a journey to provide a better life for their three children starting in Vientiane, Laos and eventually settling in Danbury, CT in 1976 in the wake of the Vietnam War.

It was in this community that Sith embedded himself in the bedrock of the refugee movement. He dedicated his life to not only serving his family, but the community. Sith wrote grants for refugees seeking asylum from the Vietnam War and helped families assimilate, root, and afforded them the opportunity to chase the American dream. His extensive work with the International Institute of Connecticut was the work he was most proud of.

He had a long and prolific career starting in Esso (Exxon Mobile), the U.S. Embassy in Laos, Unimation, Westinghouse, and U.S. Surgical. Once established as a pillar in the Southeast Asian community, he brought the rest of his and Bouavanh’s family to America.

At the center of Sith’s life was his family. He and Bouavanh imparted on their children the importance of education, kindness, and living a life of service. Sith prided himself on turning everyday moments into life lessons for his children. Whether it was Connect Four, a chess match, a card game, or hunting for the best sale price, Sith would always find a way to come out on top. He was fiercely competitive and hated to lose, at anything, but his greatest victories were the values, wisdom, and love he instilled in his family.

Sith loved fast cars, airplanes, and motorcycles. He found great joy in sharing delicious food with the people he loved dearly. Nearly every Sunday, he could be found in the kitchen cooking up a new recipe he invented or taking his family out to his favorite dim sum restaurant. He loved remixing songs when he forgot lyrics, confidently claiming his version as the original, and then teaching it to his children. He cherished his Saturday afternoon naps. Sith was an avid fan of basketball. Some of his happiest moments were spent watching UCONN basketball with his family.

Sith is survived by his wife of 62 years, Bouavanh; his son, Ot; his only daughter, Ryn; his son, Chris, and daughter-in-law, Alison; his grandsons: Benjamin and Cameron. He is also survived by his three sisters: Viengsavan (Thongkham) and Yong Chanpheng, their sons Tom, and Peter and his wife, Tina, and their son, Ethan. He is also survived by his sister, Soulang (Thongkham) and Meang Heng, their sons: Steven and Christopher and their daughter, Cynthia, and Sergio Salazar and their sons: Kai, Basti, Elias; his sister, Lamphoun (Thongkham) and Somphong Khou, their sons: Peter, and Ronnie and his wife, Annie Lee.

Sith was a quiet man who led a remarkable life. His journey transcended countries, cultures, and generations, touching the lives of many along the way. His legacy will transcend time. He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever cherished.

The family asks that contributions and respects may be made to the family privately, in lieu of flowers.

Theravada Prayer Service will be held on Saturday July 18, 2026, at 9:00am at the Ariyamettaram Temple, 140 East St., Morris, CT,

(860) 567 - 0094. Lunch/Reception will follow at 12:00pm.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Green Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Danbury, CT.

ຄອບຄົວສົມຮັກ ແລະ ທອງຄຳ ສະເຫຼີມສະຫຼອງຊີວິດຂອງສິດ ທອງຄຳ. ລາວຈະຖືກຈົດຈຳຕະຫຼອດໄປໃນຖານະເປັນພໍ່ຕູ້, ພໍ່, ສາມີ, ອ້າຍ, ລຸງ, ແລະ ເພື່ອນທີ່ຮັກແພງ. ຄອບຄົວກຳລັງໂສກເສົ້າກັບການຈາກໄປຂອງພໍ່ຕູ້ຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າ.

ສິດ ໄດ້ເສຍຊີວິດຢ່າງສະຫງົບສຸກໃນຂະນະນອນຫຼັບໃນວັນທີ 4 ກໍລະກົດ 2026, ທີ່ເຮືອນຂອງລາວໃນ Danbury, CT ອ້ອມຮອບດ້ວຍຄົນທີ່ລາວຮັກ.

ລາວເກີດໃນວັນທີ 18 ກຸມພາ 1943 ທີ່ວຽງຈັນ, ລາວ ໂດຍມີ ຈັນ ໄຊ ຮວາ ແລະ ບຸນສິດ ທອງຄຳ. ລາວເປັນລູກຊາຍຄົນທຳອິດ ແລະ ລູກຊາຍຄົນດຽວໃນຈຳນວນລູກຫ້າຄົນຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າ. ລາວຖືກລ້ຽງດູຢູ່ວຽງຈັນ, ລາວ, ຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຄອບຄົວຂອງລາວໃນລະຫວ່າງການຜະຈົນໄພໃນໄວເດັກ.

ໃນການສະແຫວງຫາການສຶກສາ, ສິດ ໄດ້ເຂົ້າຮຽນທີ່ໂຮງຮຽນຈີນ Liewtou ໃນວຽງຈັນ, ລາວ, ໂຮງຮຽນມັດທະຍົມ Greenwich ໃນ Greenwich, CT, ແລະ ມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລລັດ Western Connecticut, ໃນ Danbury, CT. ລາວເປັນຄົນທຳອິດໃນຄອບຄົວຂອງລາວທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບການສຶກສາຢ່າງເປັນທາງການ. ສິດ ໄດ້ໃຊ້ເວລາໃນໄວຜູ້ໃຫຍ່ຂອງລາວຜະຈົນໄພຜ່ານທະວີບຕ່າງໆ, ເກັບກຳຄວາມຊົງຈຳ, ແລະ ສ້າງເພື່ອນຕະຫຼອດຊີວິດ.

ການຜະຈົນໄພທີ່ຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ທີ່ສຸດຂອງລາວໄດ້ເລີ່ມຕົ້ນຂຶ້ນເມື່ອລາວໄດ້ພົບກັບເພື່ອນທີ່ດີທີ່ສຸດຂອງລາວທີ່ວຽງຈັນ, ລາວໃນປີ 1962. ບົວວັນ (ສົມຮັກ) ແລະ ສິດ ໄດ້ແຕ່ງງານກັນໃນວັນທີ 24 ຕຸລາ 1964. ສິດຈະສືບຕໍ່ຮັກ ແລະ ຮັກແພງບົວວັນຕະຫຼອດ 62 ປີຂອງຊີວິດຂອງລາວ. ພວກເຂົາໄດ້ຮ່ວມກັນເລີ່ມຕົ້ນການເດີນທາງເພື່ອໃຫ້ຊີວິດທີ່ດີຂຶ້ນສຳລັບລູກສາມຄົນຂອງພວກເຂົາ ເລີ່ມຕົ້ນທີ່ວຽງຈັນ, ລາວ ແລະ ໃນທີ່ສຸດໄດ້ຕັ້ງຖິ່ນຖານຢູ່ແດນບູຣີ, ລັດຄອນເນັດທິຄັດໃນປີ 1976 ຫຼັງຈາກສົງຄາມຫວຽດນາມ.

ມັນແມ່ນຢູ່ໃນຊຸມຊົນນີ້ທີ່ສິດໄດ້ຝັງຕົວເອງຢູ່ໃນພື້ນຖານຂອງການເຄື່ອນໄຫວຜູ້ລີ້ໄພ. ລາວໄດ້ອຸທິດຊີວິດຂອງລາວບໍ່ພຽງແຕ່ເພື່ອຮັບໃຊ້ຄອບຄົວຂອງລາວເທົ່ານັ້ນ, ແຕ່ຍັງເພື່ອຊຸມຊົນ. ສິດໄດ້ຂຽນທຶນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຜູ້ລີ້ໄພຈາກສົງຄາມຫວຽດນາມ ແລະ ຊ່ວຍຄອບຄົວໃຫ້ລວມຕົວ, ຝັງຮາກຖານ, ແລະ ໃຫ້ໂອກາດພວກເຂົາໄລ່ຕາມຄວາມຝັນແບບອາເມລິກາ. ວຽກງານຢ່າງກວ້າງຂວາງຂອງລາວກັບສະຖາບັນສາກົນຂອງລັດຄອນເນັດທິຄັດແມ່ນວຽກງານທີ່ລາວພູມໃຈທີ່ສຸດ.

ລາວມີອາຊີບທີ່ຍາວນານ ແລະ ມີຜົນງານຫຼາຍ ເລີ່ມຕົ້ນທີ່ Esso (Exxon Mobile), ສະຖານທູດສະຫະລັດໃນລາວ, Unimation, Westinghouse, ແລະ US Surgical. ເມື່ອໄດ້ຖືກສ້າງຕັ້ງຂຶ້ນເປັນເສົາຄໍ້າໃນປະຊາຄົມອາຊີຕາເວັນອອກສຽງໃຕ້, ລາວໄດ້ນຳເອົາຄອບຄົວທີ່ເຫຼືອຂອງລາວ ແລະ ບົວວັນ ມາອາເມລິກາ.

ຈຸດໃຈກາງຂອງຊີວິດຂອງ Sith ແມ່ນຄອບຄົວຂອງລາວ. ລາວ ແລະ ບົວວັນ ໄດ້ສອນລູກໆຂອງລາວໃຫ້ຮູ້ເຖິງຄວາມສຳຄັນຂອງການສຶກສາ, ຄວາມເມດຕາ, ແລະ ການດຳລົງຊີວິດທີ່ຮັບໃຊ້. Sith ມີຄວາມພາກພູມໃຈທີ່ໄດ້ປ່ຽນຊ່ວງເວລາປະຈຳວັນໃຫ້ກາຍເປັນບົດຮຽນຊີວິດສຳລັບລູກໆຂອງລາວ. ບໍ່ວ່າຈະເປັນ Connect Four, ການແຂ່ງຂັນໝາກຮຸກ, ເກມໄພ້, ຫຼື ການລ່າສັດເພື່ອລາຄາຂາຍທີ່ດີທີ່ສຸດ, Sith ຈະຊອກຫາວິທີທີ່ຈະເອົາຊະນະສະເໝີ. ລາວມັກແຂ່ງຂັນຢ່າງຮຸນແຮງ ແລະ ບໍ່ຢາກເສຍໃນສິ່ງໃດ, ແຕ່ໄຊຊະນະທີ່ຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ທີ່ສຸດຂອງລາວແມ່ນຄຸນຄ່າ, ປັນຍາ, ແລະ ຄວາມຮັກທີ່ລາວໄດ້ປູກຝັງໄວ້ໃນຄອບຄົວຂອງລາວ.

ຊິດມັກລົດໄວ, ເຮືອບິນ, ແລະລົດຈັກ. ລາວພົບຄວາມສຸກອັນຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ໃນການແບ່ງປັນອາຫານແຊບໆກັບຄົນທີ່ລາວຮັກຢ່າງສຸດຊຶ້ງ. ເກືອບທຸກໆວັນອາທິດ, ລາວສາມາດພົບເຫັນຢູ່ໃນເຮືອນຄົວແຕ່ງອາຫານສູດໃໝ່ທີ່ລາວປະດິດຂຶ້ນ ຫຼື ພາຄອບຄົວຂອງລາວໄປຮ້ານອາຫານຕິມຊຳທີ່ລາວມັກ. ລາວມັກຣີມິກເພງເມື່ອລາວລືມເນື້ອເພງ, ໂດຍອ້າງວ່າສະບັບຂອງລາວເປັນຕົ້ນສະບັບຢ່າງໝັ້ນໃຈ, ແລະຫຼັງຈາກນັ້ນສອນມັນໃຫ້ລູກໆຂອງລາວ. ລາວຮັກການງີບຫຼັບວັນເສົາຕອນບ່າຍຂອງລາວ. ຊິດເປັນແຟນບານບ້ວງຕົວยง. ບາງຊ່ວງເວລາທີ່ມີຄວາມສຸກທີ່ສຸດຂອງລາວແມ່ນການໃຊ້ເວລາເບິ່ງບານບ້ວງ UCONN ກັບຄອບຄົວຂອງລາວ.

ຊິດມີພັນລະຍາທີ່ແຕ່ງງານກັນມາ 62 ປີຄື ບົວວັນ, ລູກຊາຍຂອງລາວຊື່ ໂອດ, ລູກສາວຄົນດຽວຊື່ ຣິນ. ລູກຊາຍຂອງລາວຊື່ ຄຣິສ ແລະລູກໄພ້ຊື່ ອາລິສັນ, ຫລານຊາຍຂອງລາວຊື່ ເບນຈາມິນ ແລະ ແຄເມຣອນ. ລາວຍັງມີເອື້ອຍນ້ອງສາມຄົນຄື ວຽງສະຫວັນ (ທອງຄຳ) ແລະ ຢົງ ຈັນເພັງ, ລູກຊາຍຂອງພວກເຂົາຊື່ ທອມ ແລະ ພີເຕີ ແລະ ພັນລະຍາຂອງລາວຊື່ ທີນາ ແລະລູກຊາຍຂອງພວກເຂົາຊື່ ອີທານ. ລາວມີນ້ອງສາວຊື່ Soulang (ທອງຄຳ) ແລະ Meang Heng ທີ່ຍັງມີຊີວິດຢູ່, ລູກຊາຍຂອງພວກເຂົາຄື Steven ແລະ Christopher ແລະລູກສາວຂອງພວກເຂົາຄື Cynthia ແລະ Sergio Salazar ແລະລູກຊາຍຂອງພວກເຂົາຄື Kai, Basti, ແລະ Elias. ລາວມີນ້ອງສາວຊື່ Lamphoun (ທອງຄຳ) ແລະ Somphong Khou ທີ່ຍັງມີຊີວິດຢູ່, ລູກຊາຍຂອງພວກເຂົາຄື Peter ແລະ Ronnie ແລະພັນລະຍາຂອງລາວຊື່ Annie Lee ທີ່ຍັງມີຊີວິດຢູ່.

Sith ເປັນຜູ້ຊາຍທີ່ງຽບສະຫງົບທີ່ດຳລົງຊີວິດທີ່ໜ້າອັດສະຈັນ. ການເດີນທາງຂອງລາວໄດ້ກ້າວຂ້າມປະເທດ, ວັດທະນະທຳ, ແລະລຸ້ນຄົນ, ເຊິ່ງໄດ້ສຳຜັດຊີວິດຂອງຫຼາຍໆຄົນຕະຫຼອດເສັ້ນທາງ. ມໍລະດົກຂອງລາວຈະກ້າວຂ້າມການເວລາ. ລາວຈະຖືກຄິດຮອດຢ່າງເລິກເຊິ່ງ, ຈົດຈຳດ້ວຍຄວາມຮັກ, ແລະຮັກແພງຕະຫຼອດໄປ.

ຄອບຄົວຂໍໃຫ້ມີການບໍລິຈາກ ແລະ ຄວາມເຄົາລົບນັບຖືຕໍ່ຄອບຄົວເປັນສ່ວນຕົວ, ແທນທີ່ຈະມອບດອກໄມ້.