Ros Nhean

Ros Nhean was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in both his approach to life and in his various relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of "stick-to-it" attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Ros was realistic about life and was always at the ready, prepared to take on any responsibility that faced him.

Ros came into the world on May 1, 1929. He first greeted the world in Prey Veng Province, Cambodia. He grew up in Prey Veng Province, Cambodia. Ros experienced many things while growing up. He was the son of Jorng and Suon Nhean. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up, Ros was good at working through the usual family problems and spats when they appeared. He was the one person in the family who seemed to be the most able to keep the stress at bay. He was raised with 1 brother. 1 younger brother, Sok Nhean (deceased). He was the type of person who seemed to be constantly involved in activities with the other members of his family. Ros and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up, but he was always consistently loyal to them.

As a young child, Ros was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Instead, he was willing to wait to be asked to join in. When asked, he would generally jump at the chance.

Ros developed a variety of interests as a child. And many of the things he enjoyed doing, he did quite well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Ros spent his early school years at Pagoda School. Though he wasn’t an overtly outgoing child, he did manage to be involved in a number of different areas. Ros was somewhat reserved about his relationships, but those who became his friends understood that he was true and loyal. He lived in the country.

While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Ros as being a serious person, he managed to make that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. He always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

Though the teen years were primarily focused on working, there were plenty of things going on outside of work for Ros. Ros was also involved in the community during his teenage years, he used to volunteer in Cambodian Temples as a leader. Because he was so conscientious, Ros began to understand the meaning of responsibility at an early age. No matter what he was responsible for, he always made sure to be painstakingly meticulous.

He was often cautious and careful about the people with whom he became close. There had to be some kind of spark for a relationship to develop. But there were more than sparks, there was magic when Ros met Po Dek. Ros and Po Dek's marriage was arranged by their parents. Being very traditional, Ros wanted to make sure everything about the upcoming wedding was just right.

The couple exchanged vows on 1954. This marked the beginning of their time together as a family. Their wedding was a Traditional Cambodian Wedding. They had their wedding reception out in the country. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. Their first residence was in Prey Veng Province. Their first house they purchased in the United States was on Tromp Road in Lynden Washington and Ros drove a 1978 Ford Fairmont. Ros was involved in the Cambodian Temples around his community.

Ros brought the same traditional values by which he lived his life to how he raised his own family. He was a good parent, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. He was also a walking schedule. He always seemed to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there. He had nine children, Meun (Luona) Nhean, Sarin (Hong) Nhean, Chanmony Nhean, Botey Nhean, Savanna (Michael) Raether, #7 was un-named (dec'd), Sophany (Russell) Elgin and Sophana Nhean. The children would often fill Ros with pride and joy because of their accomplishments. Meun and Sarin went to school to be machinists, Savanna for dental assistant and Sophany for nursing.

Ros tried his best to make sure the children were raised in a warm and nurturing environment. He was also very traditional about the holidays and vacations on which the family went. Later on in life, he was also blessed with eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, three great-great grandchildren, three nieces and four great-nieces. Grandchildren are: Samnang (Mena) Nhean, Mono Nhean, Roathana Nhean, Melissa Nhean, Brendan Nhean, Isaiah Raether, Nathan Raether and Jazmyn Raether; Great-grandchild Joleeda Nhean; Great-great-grandchildren Panya Doung, Molika Doung, and Erika Doung; Nieces: Sarin (Joe) Dixon and Bo (Chris) Carrato; four great-nieces: Lakhina Doung, Dary Doung, Dawn Dixon and Raymond Dixon and Great-Nephew Chris Carrato, Jr.

Ros greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same work ethic from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively in just about every situation; this included small groups, one-on-one situations as well as solo tasks. He enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy or unclear information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, he was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to details, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. While he worked at several jobs over his lifetime, his primary occupation was working as a Sargeant in the Cambodian Army. Ros was a Soldier, a farmer and he worked in a greenhouse.

Ros worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary to meet objectives. He was willing to do whatever it took to get the job done, even if that meant going the extra mile. The Khleng Temple in Cambodia.

In the Cambodian Army, Ros achieved the final rank of Sargeant. A literal thinker who possessed a calm exterior, Ros seemed to enjoy the routines set forth by the military. His results-oriented approach to things made him committed to the job at hand.

Ros liked to experience things firsthand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies. He was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, Ros always tried to set aside a certain amount of time for working on his hobbies. Some of these hobbies included Temple Related Activities. When he would read, Ros's favorite reading materials were Buddhist books. He enjoyed listening to Traditional Cambodian Music. He also enjoyed watching his favorite athletes and sporting events, especially Wrestling, both WWF and WWE.

Ros was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith, Buddism. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them. When Ros looked ahead toward retirement he did his best to be fully prepared. The day for him to leave the workforce came in 1994. He had begun planning retirement far in advance, so everything was set out well when the time came. Even in retirement, Ros continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in his community and felt fulfilled.

Ros Nhean left us on June 3, 2011. He passed away at home, surrounded by family and close friends at the age of 82. The cause of death was liver and kidney failure. He was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother. He is survived by wife and children. Services were handled by Evergreen Funeral Home and Cemetery. Ros was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery.

Many would say that "commitment" is a word that best describes the life of Ros Nhean. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from others. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.