Quan Ngo

Quan Thi Ngo, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away peacefully on the afternoon of August 14, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was 82 years old.

Born on June 21, 1943, in Bến Tre, Vietnam, Quan was the daughter of Lau Thi Doan (mother) and Thong Minh Ngo (father). She spent her early years helping on her family’s coconut farm before pursuing higher education and establishing a career in law. She practiced as a lawyer at the Bến Tre Courthouse, where she became well respected for her dedication and skill. Quan took great pride in her work. She deeply valued education, both in her own life and for her children, instilling in them the importance of learning and hard work as the foundation for a better future.

After the Vietnam War and the Fall of Saigon, Quan’s legal career was abruptly taken from her, and she was left to find new ways to support her family. During this time, she became the sole caregiver to her four young daughters while her husband, Phi Van Doan, who had served alongside American forces, was taken from his family and endured nearly a decade as a prisoner of war under the communist regime. With resilience and unwavering determination, Quan provided for her children by working as a food vendor outside a local school and selling secondhand clothing to neighbors. Despite the many hardships she endured, Quan always found time to give back to others, often volunteering to teach English to underprivileged children. On March 13, 1995, she and her family immigrated to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. Even after arriving in America, Quan remained committed to learning and growth. She attended Salt Lake Community College in the mornings while working evenings at Design Vinyl, where she helped produce folders for the LDS Church. She continued working there until her retirement at the age of 68. In retirement, Quan enjoyed the simple joys of life—gardening, traveling, and occasionally working at Angel’s Nails as a pedicurist.

Through all of life’s challenges, Quan remained devoted to her family, even after her diagnosis of multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer, in September 2019. True to her selfless nature, before beginning treatment, her first priority was to pre-arrange and pre-pay for her funeral, ensuring that her family would not have to worry in the future. She fought bravely for nearly six years before choosing to discontinue chemotherapy due to complications and spending her final days resting comfortably at home surrounded by her family.

She is survived by her loving husband, Phi Van Doan, their four daughters (Uyen, Thao, Hong, and Diem), and seven beloved grandchildren (Angel, Jimmy, Vincent, Miley, Myka, Lena, and Mena).

A Buddhist ceremonial service will be held on Sunday, August 24, 2025, at Memorial Redwood Mortuary and Cemetery from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, followed by her burial from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.