Dong Xuan Pham

Dong X. Phạm, (Phạm Xuân Đồng) devoted husband, father, brother, friend, and mentor, passed away peacefully on June 26, 2024, at the age of 76 in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Dong was born in a small northern Vietnam rice village known as BỒNG HẢI, on April 24, 1948. He inherited steadfast work ethics from his father, Trac Van Pham, and a tenacity to persevere against all odds from his mother, Hong Bui.

After being forcibly displaced from their home in north Vietnam, his parents settled in Saigon where Dong attended the prestigious Chu Van An high school. He graduated salutatorian in a class of over 1000 boys and scored among the top 1% in the nation on the tú tài hai exam. This achievement earned him a coveted spot to attend college in the U.S.A. He went on to study Chemical Engineering at A&I Kingsville, where he met Viki. Shortly after graduating, Dong began a distinguished engineering career serving as an owner and President of BHP Engineering & Construction for 41 years.

Dong and Viki married in 1972, and generously opened their one-bedroom apartment to ten family members who fled Saigon as refugees prior to the collapse their motherland. This included his parents, six siblings, a cousin, and two children from his eldest brother. Together, they worked to support their family and eventually expanded it to include three beautiful daughters--Angela, Monika, and Erika. Dong was a devoted husband and fun-loving father, balancing the demands of project deadlines with little league softball practices, high school basketball games, and decades of dance recitals. For Dong, whether at the office or at home, a problem presented him the opportunity to flex his most powerful muscle--his brain. He loved the challenge of a new project and derived great pleasure in mastering something new, including restoring antique cars, building houses, creating a mini-citrus orchard on his property, improving on his favorite recipes, and finding the perfect bowl of phở. He thrived on solving complex engineering dilemmas while overseeing the successful operation of an engineering firm, and raising three rambunctious girls.

Dong is survived by his wife of 51 years, Viki; his children, Angela (and wife Jenell, aka the fourth daughter), Monika (and partner, Matt), and Erika (and longtime family friend Jerrod). His seven siblings Du Phạm, Bach Yen Nguyen, Thuat Phạm, My Hanh Nguyen, Minh Trung Phạm, Ngoc Diep Ly, Kim Chi Phạm, and over 30 nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, nephew, Minh Phạm, and cousin Hien Phạm.

A Memorial Service for Dong will be held at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home and Cemetery with visitation and storytelling on July 11, 2024 at 6:00 PM, and funeral services on Friday July 12, 2024 at 9:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Dong’s memory to Sunflower Mission, a charity that provides education opportunities for children in rural Vietnam.

Dong’s legacy of generosity, inquisitiveness, and dedication to family and community will be remembered and cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him. He moved through the world with a fearless entrepreneurial spirit and a resourcefulness that will remain unparalleled. Those fortunate enough to know Dong understood he was a living embodiment of the words he encouraged others to believe, “In dreams and in life, nothing is impossible.”