Dad, you have never felt any sort even the deepest wounds in the war for peace! You will be in my mind, you are everywhere, you won’t be missed! Love you forever!❤️❤️

I remember the times my mother told me about the hardships he experienced throughout his life. From fighting in war to moving his entire family to another country. His endurance is something I wish to carry in my life. Whenever I would meet him, he would always have the brightest smile; a smile that I will never forget. He will forever be loved and admired. Rest peacefully.

My mother always spoke highly of her father. She spoke about how intelligent he was, and how inspired he made her. I hope I can keep that inspiration flowing for more generations to come.  He means a lot to his family, and will always. I remember walking through the front door of my grandmother and grandfathers house and just seeing their faces light up when they saw me. Exclaiming my name, with a bright smile on their face. That is a memory I will never forget. 

There was once at my childhood at Go Vap, Saigon city before 1975, my dad just got home on a rainy day, he asked me hanging his wet raincoat up but I turned around to ask him where it should be so he knocked my head.
There was once at my childhood at Go Vap, Saigon city before 1975, my dad just got home on a rainy day, he asked me hanging his wet raincoat up but I turned around to ask him where it should be so he knocked my head. was another time after his releasing from the prison 1982, he was back to Binh Thuy (my grandma’s house) at Can Tho city. He was in hurry, got into the house and picked up something for mom then walked out the street to catch a Disu car to go back to Saigon, I suddenly stepped down from the bed to chase him and asked for some money…
There was a night at Bac Hai Housing, my dad got home that was released from the prison as his 2nd time (cross the border) to 
stay away of the Communist in 1990 (?), I was so exciting to see him back and stepped up front of him quickly to hold his hands and cried so hard and said “ông Bố…”
In Summer July 2020, He usually counts his money but suddenly,  he asked me to count his hundred dollar bills but he told to check how many millions, I realized his vision getting worse after months using magnifying glass.
I didn’t know that was the last time I met my dad at Hân’ house at the first week of this month, I fed him some tasty warm nutrition milk, he loved that milk so much, he sipped and swallow very quickly and I also wore slippers for dad since his feet was cold, wore a rope to warm his chest and asked him closed to his left ear if he still remembered me but he didn’t respond…

Dad’s pot of gold as he longed for a son all his life!

To a humble, brave man. Thank You for everything You did to bring your family to Iowa. Being part of Your family brings great happiness to my life and truly completes my family.
 Love Federico Oliphant. 

Fred L. Oliphant, Jr.   I am saddened by the loss of this strong, brave man.   He fathered a beautiful, loving family, which has blessed our family through  the marriage of his daughter Han to my son, Fred Oliphant, III.    I always looked forward to seeing him at family events. 
His smile which lit up his whole face belied the ordeal he endured before coming to this country.                                                                                      
                                   
He served his country of birth as long as he was able.  I am honored to have known him and to have been part of his family in this country.

To my humble, brave Father- in - law , who loved his family so much that he left behind everything he had ever known and worked for to bring his family to this country. Thank you for that and for my beautiful wife Han. You were so loved and will be so missed .

To those who know, Dad was a life example of self-motivated, self-disciplined, academic excellent, kind hearted, and most caring of his children. I always admired Dad of a lot of things he accomplished and cherished our good time together when I was growing up. Dad was reading and writing almost every day.  Even when Dad lost most of his visions, he still tried to read, like in this picture. It was the last time Dad and Mom came to visit me and Robert in California.  Many also say I walk like my Dad.  Indeed, it’s a blessing that I inherited a few good things from Dad, not only to remember him forever but also to be proud of who he was and what I am.  I’m praying for his eternal better life because he deserved so much. We love you and miss you, Dad!

We meet this wonderful man at my nephew Mike North wedding and I got to speak some with him. He told of his life in Vietnam and how her fought for his country. I enjoyed hearing everything he had told me. Such a great man and strong spirit. My heart goes out to Thu and her entire family. Praying for everyone. 🙏🙏♥️

Ba enjoyed his family, a touch of gambling, travel and his roots in Vietnam. He was also a poet to a fault and enjoyed philosophy and politics. But, most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. I will always fondly recall Dad presenting a toast of Yo!

Edward Abbey must have had Ba’s journey through life in mind when he wrote:

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled cliffs, where deer walk across the white sand beaches, where storms come and go as lightning clangs upon the high crags, where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you -- beyond that next turning of the canyon walls”

Rest easy Dad. You are now beyond that last turn. 

Dad is the most caring, loving soul in this world. You will be missed dearly, Dad! We will have to read your old Happy New Year letters again as there won't be any new ones from now on. Rest in peace!

OBITUARY

Phuong The Nguyen

January 6, 1938 – January 31, 2022

McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary & Resthaven Cemetery

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