Educated:
Occupation:
Marriage:
Hoang Van Ong
In China
Wholesale fabric business owner
Hoang Van Ong
1951
Vietnam
| Parents: Educated: Occupation: Marriage: |
Nam To Hoang Van Ong In China Wholesale fabric business owner Hoang Van Ong 1951 Vietnam |
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| Children: | Phoung | May 18, 1954 | |
| Kenny | |||
| Notes: | Nam To received his education in China and moved back to Vietnam to start a fabric wholesale business in Saigon. He married his wife, Hoang Van Ong, in 1951. Their two |
| children, Phoung and Kenny, were born soon thereafter.
Despite the success of Mr. To's fabric business, the fall of Saigon and the subsequent Communist regime made the family's life in Saigon difficult. Mr. To decided the best path to securing their future would be to escape Vietnam and seek a better life elsewhere. After a brief stay in a refugee camp in Thailand, Mr. To and his family were accepted into the Vietnamese refugee program offered by the United States; they arrived in Austin, Texas in June of 1979. Compared to the uncertainty and turmoil taking place in Vietnam, life in the United States was smooth, promising, and full of opportunity. Mr. To and his family thrived in the new environment. Mr. To was extremely proud to receive his U.S. citizenship in 1987 at age 65. He mourned the loss of his wife in June 1988. Over the years, he travelled the world to visit relatives and friends in far-flung locations around the globe. He was extraordinarily pleased to see his children marry and start families of their own. He enjoyed reading, practicing Chinese calligraphy, and taking walks around the community. He liked playing Mah Jongg with neighbors and friends on weekends when folks were available. He was partial to a grilled steak and pan fried macaroni on special occasions, always with a glass of red wine. On more casual occasions, he enjoyed fried chicken with ketchup. Nam To passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, February 29th, 2016. He was 96 years old. |
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