Tuan Minh Hoang

Tuan was born in the small village of Ha Coi, Quang Ninh, in North Vietnam on January 18, 1944. He learned to speak French, Mandarin, and Vietnamese during his elementary school years. In 1954, his family escaped to South Vietnam, where he completed his education and stayed active in sports and martial arts.

In 1971, after rigorous testing, Tuan trained to be a helicopter pilot with the U.S. Army in San Antonio, Texas, and Savannah, Georgia. After graduating from flight school on December 21, 1971, Tuan flew back to Vietnam, where he flew dangerous and precarious missions as part of the elite 219 Kingbee Squadron with the Republic of Vietnam Air Force.

In 1972, Tuan fell in love with his beloved wife, Yen, after exchanging secret love letters. At the end of April 1975, Saigon fell. After flying Yen and their two daughters, Uyen and Huyen, to the U.S. Embassy, he continued to fly back and forth to save the families of his fellow pilots. He narrowly escaped capture by communist soldiers, but was able to reunite with his family. His courage and selflessness during those final days of the war reflected the devotion and sense of duty that would define the way he lived the rest of his life.

Tuan & his family were flown to the United States as refugees and sponsored by the gracious McElveen family, who had hosted him during his flight school training in Savannah, Georgia.

Tuan worked three jobs in Savannah until he landed a job with Bell Helicopter in Amarillo, Texas, in 1978. Both Tuan and Yen were very active members of the local Vietnamese Catholic Church in Amarillo. Tuan served as President of the church association for many years. When Bell Helicopter closed, Boeing offered him a job in Seattle, Washington, where he worked until he retired.

Tuan was preceded in death by his father, Lam Van Hoang; his mother, Tang Thi Hoang; his son, Eugene Minh Hoang; six of his siblings, and many other cherished family members.

Tuan is survived by his wife of 54 years, Yen Phi Hoang; his sister, Tang Thi Hoang and her husband Thuan Tien Dang, along with their children and grandchildren; his daughter, Uyen Hoang Beach and her husband, Christopher Lee Beach, and their two children, Alanna Marie Beach and Gabriel Minh Tuan Beach; his daughter, Huyen Dang Hoang and her husband, Khoi Duy Ngo, and their three children, Ethan Duy An Hoang Ngo, Aivy Hoang Ngo, and Amber Yen Vy Hoang Ngo; and many beloved nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

Our family would like to express our deepest gratitude to Austin Geriatric Specialists and Suncrest Hospice for their compassionate, loving care of our Dad during these last few years and months of his life.

Visitation and Rosary will be held at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Ih-35, Pflugerville, TX 78660, US, on June 26, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

A Funeral Mass, in Vietnamese & English, will be held at Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church, 1107 E Yager Ln, Austin, TX 78753, US, on June 27, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. The Mass will be live streamed for those afar; details to follow. There will be a reception immediately following the service.