Obituary of Pham Hong Thu

Hong Thu passed away peacefully on December 22, 2024, in Ottawa, Canada at the age of 90, surrounded by her loved ones at home.

Hong Thu was born April 18, 1934, in the countryside of My Tho, Vietnam.  To us, she was the most loving and strongest woman that ever lived.  In 1978, Hong Thu boarded a tiny fishing boat with her four young children and 1 year-old grandchild in the middle of the night.  They were fleeing from their war-torn homeland.  For 7 days they faced a treacherous journey at sea that would find them 6 months in a refugee camp in Malaysia and finally freedom in Canada.  The family settled in Ottawa and started a new life with nothing. 

For 20 years, Hong Thu took pride in her job in housekeeping. She taught us that no one’s value was greater than another and that we should treat everyone with respect and love.  Moreover, she taught us that through hard work and dedication, anyone could succeed.  Through her grit, determination, and immeasurable resilience, Hong Thu single-handedly raised her children to become the success story that they are today.  But what Hong Thu took pride in the most was her family.  She had the extraordinary ability to bring the family together with her warmth and humor. She was an inspiration to all of us.

Hong Thu loved to cook Vietnamese food and spent countless hours in her garden.  She loved to look fancy and was beautiful both inside and out.  Hong Thu was also known to have a lively and free-spirited personality.  She was funny, feisty, and always looked great in red.  And when she was not filling the room with laughter and kindness, she could be found dancing and singing joyfully to “Lundi Matin” and “Lang Toi”.

Hong Thu will be lovingly remembered by her 4 children: Kim Uyen, Oanh (Philip), Phuong (Duong), Son (Chi); 9 grandchildren: Quang (Martin), Nam, Alexander (Saina), Kevin, Nicholas (Celyne), Michael, Cecilia, Jessica, Tricia; 1 great-grandchild: Ellie Rose, and the family dog, Henry-Baxter. She was predeceased by her husband Ky Nguyen.

We love you so much and will forever cherish you in our hearts.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, December 27, 2024, at 9:00-10:30AM at Cole Funeral Services, 2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa.  

At the family’s request, no donations and gifts are necessary.