Lang Thi Nguyen

Lang Thi Nguyen, 86, of Sterling, VA. Born September 7, 1934 in South Vietnam, passed away on December 31, 2020. She grew up in Saigon, married her sweetheart, Luong Nguyen, and worked as a successful Pan Am Airlines Reservations Supervisor. She is survived by her husband, three children, and eight grandchildren.

Lang proudly worked at Pan Am during a time where most women still stayed at home to raise families. Pan Am allowed the family to take the last flight out of Vietnam to fearlessly escape the Communist regime in 1975. The family arrived in Guam and eventually made it to the United States mainland where Lang led the family to live a new life in freedom.

Lang was an amazing wife and an incredible life partner to Luong. She took such great care of him and through trials and tribulations was always right by his side every step of the way. She was a woman who loved life, loved spreading joy and bringing family and loved ones together. Lang was a friend to all, and those who met her adored her cheerful, kind, genuine and caring soul. She had the beautiful ability to capture a room through her positivity, compassion, and affection and make anyone and everyone she crossed paths with absolutely adore her. One conversation with her could make anyone feel like they knew her for years. She was the sunshine in a person as she always shined bright.

To Lang, family was always the centerpiece of her life. Her family was one that she grew, raised, cherished, and took care of. Lang and her husband created a family that was built on a foundation of love and has manifested and succeeded because of her strength, love, elegance, wisdom, and sacrifice. Lang was happiest when she was spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren, cooking, taking walks outside, catching up with old friends, meeting new friends, and eating delicious foods. Her friends ranged from 5-year-old neighbors, friends of her children or grandchildren, Pan Am coworkers, to the elderly and even good friends she came across through her favorite restaurants over the years. She touched everyone’s life in a truly positive way.

Lang was an extremely gifted storyteller, dinners at her house could always guarantee a good story filled with hope, cheer, laughter, and wisdom. Her memory was second to none and she always was there to listen, gave open and honest advice and above all – offer great life lessons to anyone seeking help. She looked forward to every Christmas, Thanksgiving, Vietnamese New Year with loved ones. She loved to cook and would bestow the bounty of her kitchen on her family, friends, and neighbors. Lang was a phenomenal cook as her recipes were always passed on to her children – her specialty was sautéed salmon, seasoned shrimp, tuna salad, and fried rice that her grandchildren loved.

Lang was a devoted and compassionate Buddhist and donated to multiple Buddhist temples. She was a role model to everyone who knew her, always with a smile and helping hand. She left behind many friends whose lives she had touched. Her passing will take a bit of sunshine out of our lives and the lives of her husband, children, and grandchildren, but her spirit lives on forever.

Lang was the glue that bonded the Nguyen family over the years, through trials and tribulations.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday January 12, 2021 at 9:00 am EST at the National Funeral Home (7482 Lee Hwy., Falls Church, VA 22042) and a webcast will be offered. The burial will commence at the National Memorial Park, 1:00 pm EST.

Sanctum

by Beulah B. Malkin

I built a tiny garden

In a corner of my heart

I kept it just for lovely things

And bade all else depart

And ever was there music

And flowers blossomed fair;

And never was it perfect

Until you entered there