Thu-Van Thi Tran

Thu-Van Tran passed away November 9, 2018 at the age of 66 surrounded by family in Houston, Texas. She was born as the oldest child to Michael Huy Tran and Hue Nguyen in Vietnam on May 31, 1952. She graduated from the all-girls Trung Vuong high school in 1970 and continued on to Pharmacy school at University of Saigon. Her education was interrupted in April 1975 during the fall of South Vietnam. With her family, she was evacuated out of Saigon in the last week of April 1975 and was settled in the United States.

After coming to the United States, Thu-Van lived with the Dillon family in Maryland, who cared for her like a daughter. Upon graduating with a Pharmacy degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, she joined her family in Houston, Texas and began a long career at MD Anderson. In her retirement, Thu-Van dedicated her time to volunteering around the Houston area, knitting blankets for donation through the church, gardening, and caring for her aging mother. She also discovered a new passion for traveling and quickly worked towards visiting country after country. From all around the world, always with her hat on and sunglasses in hand, she would send pictures saying hello to her children. She was an inspiration to so many and loved by all.

Thu-Van was preceded in death by her father Michael Huy Tran, her brother Bich Tran and her sister Kim-Nga Tran. Thu-Van is survived by her mother Hue Nguyen, her sister Thu Hang Tran and family, sister-in-law Huong Nguyen and family, sister Kim Phung Tran, brother Tuan Tran and family, sister Kim Dung Tran and family, sister Khoi Tran and family, sister Lien Tran and family; daughter Michelle Meehan and husband Jon, son Alex Nguyen and wife Genevieve, daughter Amanda Nguyen, son Matthew Nguyen; grandchildren Logan, Megan and Reagan Meehan, granddaughter Jane Nguyen; and numerous extended family members.