Binh Huynh

Our Dearly Beloved Grandma

Our grandmother…it is very hard to describe on paper (and in only a few paragraphs) what a truly wonderful person she was. You would have to meet her in person to fully grasp her individualistic, yet vibrant personality. Or, you would have to be either her children, or her grandchildren who's lived with her all their life to be able to fully grasp all the great qualities that she so comprised: caring, charismatic, down-to-earth, wise, protective, strong, and highly educated.

She was a daughter, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and lastly, a great-grandmother. When we first got news that she was not doing so well last year, she said to us, "I will go at 83". And we said to her, "No, grandma, you will live til you're 100 years old." Unfortunately, she was right and so she left us sooner than expected. What a fulfilled life she lived, leaving the earth surrounded by all the ones she loved and by the ones who loved her so. At 83, she passed away at 9:15 pm on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 to seek a better and more peaceful place above. She leaves behind 4 children, 8 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren.

To us, she was THE definition of a grandmother - always filled with wisdom and unwavering love for all her children. She was a school teacher who taught young children in Vietnam, a friend that you can always count on, a confidant, and without doubt, a nurturer.

A scholar she was, fluent in 3 different languages: Vietnamese, French, and Chinese. All learned in her childhood years.

She was caring to everyone around her and always put her family first. Her 4 children were the joy in her life. It was the highlight of her day when she was able to celebrate her birthdays with all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She always loved traveling, going to hair salons, cooking, good food, eating at restaurants, having family dinners, and most of all, she loved having company. The presence of friends and family always lifted her spirits and made her happy. We will always remember our grandmother saying, "Let's eat together."

Though she had many accomplishments in life, being a great-grandmother was her most rewarding accomplishment. It was what brought her the most joy. She loved being around her great-grandchildren. Every time they were around, she would always shower them with love and of course, good food! Even at times when she could no longer walk, or when she was hospitalized, she would always ask for them. She would tell us, "watch out for the little ones and make sure they eat." We could not have asked for a better grandmother.

Her life story and teachings will no doubt live on in all of us as well as her devotion to the Buddhist religion. Being a devout Buddhist, when she was well, she would visit the temple every Sunday. Even up to the time when she was in her wheelchair, she still made way to the temple on special occasions to partake in on all the fun festivities. It made her feel young again and everyone at the temple made her feel very special. We know our grandmother is very happy and grateful to everyone who showed up to pay their last respects and also to everyone who put her in their thoughts and prayers.

Everything that she has instilled upon us will be carried on. From her strong family values, her unwavering love, her concern for others, to her devotion to the Buddhist religion…all will be passed on to the younger generation. All of her great-grandkids will really miss their "BaÌ Côì," especially Lan-Anh and Minh Tuan because they have lived with her their whole lives.

Not a day goes by without us wishing that we could spend just one more day with our grandma. Nothing will be able to fill this void in our hearts. And no words can describe the pain that we are going through for we have lost the one that we loved most and respected most. Our grandmother's legacy will live on in our hearts and in our minds through the great memories that we have created with her. No doubt, she will truly be missed. We only ask that you, her family and friends, will remember her from time to time and pray for her…as that alone will lift her spirits and make her feel very special. Thank-you.