Lan Hoang
30 July 1934 - 27 November 2015
Bac Lieu, Vietnam | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
His Family
2 Biological Children (1 daughter | 1 son)
Sue Ann Selman| Kevin Hoang
2 Adopted Children (1 son | 1 daughter)
Tan Hoang | Thao Evert
3 Children-in-Law
Lap Nguyen | Terence Evert | Richard Selman
4.5 Grandchildren (2.5 grandsons | 2 granddaughters)
Michelle Hoang | Thomas Hoang | Tristen Evert | Logan Selman | (Tiberius Selman...born in 2016)
1 Grandson-in-Law
Mykel Barcena
2 Great Grandsons
Mikaiden Barcena | Maverick Barcena
My father had a very full and interesting life, parts of which are still a great mystery to me.
He was born during the French Revolution in Vietnam. So it was quite interesting growing up in my family, where you have the Asian influence and the French influence. I lived off of Asian food, Chinese and Vietnamese, but there was also French fusion food too, like french toast, crepes, and buttered sugar toast. He was definitely a great help when I needed a study buddy for French class.
From family history...
My father played an important role in getting my mother and her family out of Vietnam during the war. He obtained and captained the boat from Vietnam to Malaysia. Did I mention during the escape, they ran across Thai pirates? Anyways, there was a short wait at a refugee camp in Malaysia before the Canadian government granted him immigration status into Canada.
The family was sponsored to Canada, first stop Dawson Creek, British Columbia.
My father abandoned his English studies and went to work to make money for the family. His work took him to many places, most notable place he traveled to was Houston, Texas, USA. Talk about a well traveled non-English speaking carpenter. By the time my young brother was born, we decided that his travelling needs to stop.
He did one last work trip to Vancouver, British Columbia. He scouted the city before moving us all south.
In Vancouver, he settle us into the back of a laundromat/tailor shop in Chinatown. Mom took in jobs during the day and dad took care of it after he got home from his day job, construction site carpentry. The shop was sold by the time my brother and I went to school.
My childhood was filled with lots of fun memories of my father.
Evening drives around Stanley Park after dinner. Walks to Woodwards on the weekend.
Biking around the seawall. Visits to different parks around the lower mainlands.
The jokes that he cracks to make everyone laugh.
I was lucky, my father was still with us to walk me down the aisle...
He was still with us for my first born...
Just before he left us, I was able to tell him that I was pregnant again with my 2nd child. He was happy to hear about the pregnancy, but sad he wouldn't be around, though he did try very hard to stick around.
Many of our family and friends stopped by to bid him farewell at the simple service / viewing we held. Including my three half sisters...another aspect of my fathers life...told you there's an unsolved mystery, with regards to his life...
It's been a year...and I still miss you so much dad. I saw you smiling in a dream the night before Tiberius' 1 month celebration. I know you are still looking over us. We talk about you all the time, sometimes as if you are just in the other room. Your impact on our lives will never be forgotten.
