Maria Teresa Mai McGinnis, maiden name Phung Thi Mai, was born on July 10, 1925 in Hanoi, Vietnam. She is the fifth sibling in a family of five. Daughter of Phung Danh Thien and Pham Thi Bon. She married Nguyen Van Thon in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1941. In 1946, she migrated to South Vietnam together with her first two children and lived together with her husband's family in the commune My Le, ward Can Duoc, city of Saigon- Cholon. After that, she moved to Saigon in 1950. Together, they had five children, four sons and one daughter.
From a young age, she was skilled in embroideries, sewing and attended private school St Marie. She had a passion in Vietnam classic literature and began writing poems early in her teenage.
She also spoke French and English fluently.
In the beginning of 1960, she worked for the Ministry of Social and Welfare services taking care of education for children of poor families that can not afford to receive education. For many years, on her own, she managed to raise her children in a very financially limited situation but not without love and devotion.
In 1970, she remarried to Warren McGinnis and settled in Spokane, Washington. Later, she followed her second husband to Alaska to work as a nurse aid in a hospital. When they moved back to Spokane, she worked as a seamstress for home interior shops like Hatloes.
With God's grace and blessing she finally got reunited with all her children when Saigon fell into communism in 1975. They were all migrated to Spokane. Washington to stay with their mother at last.
In 1990, after Warren passed away, she moved to Everett, WA to be close to her children's families until she passed away.
All who know her would know that she is a happy, story teller, optimist, independent, fighter and courageous. Although she got two strokes in her life and was half paralyzed, she still managed to do things on her own, relearn speech and singing like normal.
In 2015, she decided to become Catholic, got baptized in Everett after many years contemplating on the love that God has for her and her children.
Besides her cheerful attitude, she loved to eat out, loved to travel and loved gatherings with her family to celebrate or listen to her children play music and sing together. Her passion was writing poems and short stories. She has published two poems under the pen name Mai Huong. With the presence of Covid and her home went into lockdown and for several months, she spent all her time alone writing. She has started her third poem book and short stories and has planned to publish it.
She was called back to God on Nov 23, 2022 after receiving all the sacraments. She left in peace at Brookdale Senior Living. She left behind 5 children, 7 grand children and 9 great grandchildren.
Maria Teresa left behind a memorable, loving and dedicated life for her children. She is an example for her children to follow.
A visitation for Mai will be held Friday, December 9, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Evergreen Funeral Home and Cemetery, 4504 Broadway, Everett, WA 98203. A rosary service will occur Friday, December 9, 2022 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, 4504 Broadway, Everett, WA 98203. A funeral mass will occur Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Hope Chapel, 2617 Cedar St, Everett, WA 98201.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Evergreen-FH.com for the McGinnis family.
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