Lan Tong (Daughter)

Entered September 16, 2019 from Totonto

Rest In Love, Dad

Love, as in “I Love You”,
Love, as in “Do you know how much I love you?”.

Those were the two “love” phrases you gave me,
When I was a little girl, each and every day,
And when I was a teenager, each and every day,
And when I was a grown woman, each and every time I visited you Dad.

Love, as in “I love you so much”,
Love, as in “I don’t know why I love you so much”,
Love, as in “I love you even though I don’t know how you are related to me”.

Those were the “love” phases you gave me,
Each and every time I visited you in this past year…..
When your mind was no longer as sharp, as you always had been.

The “Love” you gave me in your life, in words and in actions,
Was deeper than the “Love” itself,
The “Love” you wrapped around me throughout my life, and yours,
Made me feel safe, proud, whole, and so “loved”.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and my whole being, for your ‘Love” Dad.

Now, you can rest in “Love” with “Mom”,
The “Love” of your life.

I Love You Too Dad!
Your daughter,
Tong Phuong Lan

Robert Spurrier (Family Friend)

Entered September 16, 2019 from Howes Island

John the Baptist Kim Phuoc TONG
Father
Grandfather
Host
He is,
and always will be.
Never was

I have had the privilege of being a guest in the home of your father. I have dined at his table. I have visited in his home.

I have had the privilege of seeing many Tong family pictures. In each picture I know there is a piece of a father, or a grandfather in each of the family members in the picture. A proud man, knowing and skillful throughout his life. These qualities I see he has given to the family members I know. Qualities that have been built upon or are being built upon.

Everything I have written I include Huyen Thi Dinh in these words.

Rest In Peace John the Baptist Kim Phuoc TONG

From Lan's friends in VN (Children's Friends)

Entered September 19, 2019 from Viet Nam

Ngoc Mai (Pham):
Chi xin chia buon cung gia dinh tui em, chi se doc kink cho bac trai. Tui em rang lo tang le cho tron ven. Chi se noi chuyen voi ca em au.

Ngoc Mai:
Ba Lan vừa mất,Lan đừng buồn như vậy bác không còn đau thể xác nửa,bác trai như vậy đã mãng nguyện rồi vì con chạu đều hiểu thảo với bác. Đừng buồn quá cố giử sức khoẻ nhe.

Kim Cuong:
PL đừng buồn, cố gắng vượt qua giai đoạn này nhe.
Thành kính chia buồn cùng Lan và gia đình.

Mai Huong:
MH xin chia buồn cùng Lan và gia đình

Suu:
Xin chia buồn cùng P.Lan và Nga nha . Bác Trai bị bịnh gì vậy ? Mong Bác sớm siêu thoát .

Minh Thuan:
Xin Thiên Chúa đón nhận linh hồn Ông, Thành kính chia buồn cùng Gia dình, cùng Bạn Phuong Lan.
Xin các Bạn cùng hiệp ý cầu Nguyện cho Linh hồn của Ông được Chúa đón nhận

Bich Nga (Truong):
Thành kính phân ưu cùng Phương Lan và gia đình Cầu xin linh hồn bác Jonh the Baptist Tống Phước Kim sớm được hưởng nhan Thánh Chúa.

Le Duyen:
Helo Phương Lan ! Duyên nè , mình mới nhận được tin Bác vừa qua đời từ Mai Hương với Ngọc Mai , Duyên xin chia buồn với Lan và gia đình.

Kieu:
K xin thành kính phân ưu gia đình PL .

Hoa:
H xin chia buồn cùng gia đình PLan.

Dung Nguyên:
Con mới nghe tin ạ. Cô cho con gửi lời chia buồn của gia đình con đến cô và gia đình ạ :((((((

Thuy and Vinh Nguyen:
Chị ơi, em gửi lời chia buồn cùng gia đình chị ah. Chị cố gắng giữ gìn sức khoẻ chị nhé😭😭😭

From Lan's friends in Australia (Children's Friends)

Entered September 19, 2019 from Australia

Audrey:
Lan, thank you for sharing such a beautiful love story with me. Great role models for you and for your children. I'm glad you and Boon are okay. As you said, your father is now in a better place; free from pain and now with your mother. Take good care of yourself. ❤BIG HUGS ❤, Audrey xox


Thuy Thach:
Hello PLan
Thay tin nhan cua Mai goi cho Lan, goi PLan de hoi tham nhung khg duoc, nen Thuy goi cho Mai thi moi biet Ba PLan mat, Thanh that chia buon cung Plsn va Gia Dinh. Nguyen xin Linh hon Bac ve chon nghi ngoi hang thay dung nhan Chua va Me Vinh hien,vui ve sang lang vo cung Amen ❤️🙏

Mai Vu:
Hi chi Lan, gia dinh em thanh that chia buon voi chi va gia dinh.

Chi Vu:
My deepest condolence to you & your family.
Pleased take care of yourself.

From Lan's friends in the US (Children's Friends)

Entered September 19, 2019 from USA

Le Thoa:
Lan oi, Thoa xin goi loi chia buon den Lan va Gia dinh. ❤️

Tuyen:
Sang nay day,thay tin nhan buon qua!!!Xin chia buon cung gia dinh Phuong Lan va cau xin linh hon Bac duoc an nghi nuoc Thien Dang🙏🙏🙏

Our Dad and Grandfather,

In a small town south of Saigon, our father was born into a privileged family. He was sent to a French boarding school at an early age. Our father’s privileged life was also ended early when he lost both of his parents within a few years and by the age of 16. A young man, he joined the Viet Minh revolution army in an effort to liberalize VN from the French colonial regime. During this revolutionary time, he travelled further south where he met the love of his life, our Mother – Mrs. Dinh Thi Huyen.
In 1954, the revolution succeeded but VN was divided in two and his revolution era ended. Our father decided to move to Saigon, with his young wife and little baby named Nhu, to start a new and civilian life. The young family did not have much at all in terms of money, but our Father’s business mind, hard work, a will to succeed, and the faithful support of our Mother, our Father raised and gave his five children a privileged life, well…. until 1975… when VN was re-united by the Communist government of the North. The unification brought another major challenge to the middle-aged family man as he lost most of his wealth. BUT, as determined as he was, together with his wife, they rebuilt some of the fortune.

The year of 1978 marked a major event in their life. This was the first part of the biggest and most important decision that he (and his wife) ever had to make: sending the two young sons (age 21 and 17) on a dangerous journey in search of freedom and a better future. The second part of this decision was to leave everything behind and embark on the journey with his wife, and three young daughters 2 years later in 1979. Our journey in search of freedom was not smooth: we encountered the sea pirates, lost all of what we carried with us, BUT, we were fortunate enough to all survive the journey unharmed. One never knew the extent of the courage a parent has to make to send their children away on a journey on their own. We never knew the enormity of such a courage until I became a parent ourselves. The lives we have today would not be possible without such an immense courage. Thank you Dad!!!!!
In 1979, Our Father had the family settled in Canada. He made sure that all of his children received the education that he and his wife did not have the opportunity to obtain. With his encouragement and support, we all fulfilled our education goal.
Our Father was not just a great Father to us, he was also a great Grand-Father to our children. He loved and cared for each one of his 14 grandchildren in the best way he could.



Much much love DAD.
Your Children
Nhu, Nhan, Cuong, Lan, Nga

A Father’s Teaching
Our Father taught us many things, through telling us verbally and through how he lived his life:
• Family is the most important part of one’s being: keep your family together as much as you can. Our Father and Mother always kept us together during their time with us, and told us over and over again: stay together and look out for one another when they are gone. A valuable life lesson!
• Dignity: live your life in a dignified manner.
• Do not look down on others.
• Respect: Give respect and we will be respected.
• Have a good sense of humour. It will lighten up your day.
• Life is short: live well and be good people
• Express your love (at least verbally). He always told us how much he loves us: each and every time he saw us.
• Be proud of who we are.

Thank you Dad!!!!!

Rest In Love, Dad

Love, as in “I Love You”,
Love, as in “Do you know how much I love you?”.

Those were the two “love” phrases you gave me,
When I was a little girl, each and every day,
And when I was a teenager, each and every day,
And when I was a grown woman, each and every time I visited you Dad.

Love, as in “I love you so much”,
Love, as in “I don’t know why I love you so much”,
Love, as in “I love you even though I don’t know how you are related to me”.

Those were the “love” phases you gave me,
Each and every time I visited you in this past year…..
When your mind was no longer as sharp, as you always had been.

The “Love” you gave me in your life, in words and in actions,
Was deeper than the “Love” itself,
The “Love” you wrapped around me throughout my life, and yours,
Made me feel safe, proud, whole, and so “loved”.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and my whole being, for your ‘Love” Dad.

Now, you can rest in “Love” with “Mom”,
The “Love” of your life.

I Love You Too Dad!
Your daughter,
Tong Phuong Lan