Van T. Pham was born March 3, 1923, in North Viet Nam. She was a nurse who enjoyed helping others. She married the love of her life, Lien D. Vu, in 1939. She will be remembered as a devoted wife, loving mom, grandmother and great-grandmother. She lived her life in prayer and served the Lord in every way she could.

Van had a very difficult life. In the 1950s, she fled to South Viet Nam to flee communist-controlled North Viet Nam and was forced to leave everything behind. In April of 1975, she left Vietnam because of the war and started a new life in the United States. She was forced to make the heartbreaking decision to leave half of her children behind.

Van and Lien started to rebuild their lives in Ocosta, Wash. They settled in Hoquiam in 1983. They worked together shucking oysters at Associated Seafood, until 1985. Van retired in order to take care of her husband until his passing on May 2, 1993.

Van made many sacrifices to ensure that her children could have a good life. She saved her hard-earned money in order to help her relatives and the church. Her efforts to live a modest life included making her own clothes, knitting her own socks and growing her own food.

Her garden was where she found peace and joy. She happily wore her straw hat and went out daily to tend to her flower beds and vegetable garden. She also loved to go fishing with her sons Ngoc and Hao. It was a comical sight to watch her when she missed or lost the fish. It was even more amusing when salmon would jump around the boat and none would bite. She would mumble, mumble then a rigging fit would follow….. a true fisherwoman!

Van was a member of St. Peter and Paul Church in Aberdeen. She went to mass regularly with her family and was committed to ensuring her grandchildren, Phong, Linh and Cuong Vu attended Sunday mass with her. After the passing of her husband, her prayer life intensified and her relationship with the Lord grew stronger. She prayed day and night… and night and day for the next 23 years!

We thank her for her love and devotion. We love and miss you.

On Sept. 14, 2016, Van died peacefully in her home. Third time is the charm. Her last move is to Heaven — permanently. No longer empty-handed, this time she’ll have the grace of God, and eternal life, she has definitely earned the privilege! She is now in the good hands of the Lord and is reunited with the love of her life, family, and friends whom she has not seen in long time.

She is survived by her children Ngoc Vu of Gig Harbor, An Vu of VN, Lan Chu of Toronto, Nguyet Vu of VN, Hao Vu of Hoquiam, a brother and a sister of VN, numerous grand and great grandchildren of the United States, Canada and VN. She is preceded in death by her husband, grandson Phong Vu, 2nd son Bao Vu in VN and son in law Ngai Chu in Toronto.

Visitation will be at the Coleman Mortuary on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 Noon.

A funeral mass will be at Our Lady of Good Help Church in Hoquiam on Friday, Sept. 23, at 1:30 p.m. A recitation of the rosary will precede the mass at 1 p.m. Committal following mass at Sunset Memorial Cemetery. A reception will be held at a later date.

Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on-line register at www.colemanmortuary.net.