Them Pham

Them Thi Pham, 81, has returned to her Heavenly home to reunite with Jesus, Mary, and the saints on Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 12:25 pm. She is survived by her husband, children (5 daughters and 2 sons), and 14 grandchildren. Born on July 3, 1930, she married at the age of 18. In 1954, when Vietnam divided between North and South, Ms. Pham had to leave her home and parents to emigrate with her husband. Because her husband was in the military, going to different places was difficult at the time. She had 9 children, but only 7 survived. In 1980, when her husband and son left Vietnam for America, she began to raise 6 children by herself for 11 years. Through her sacrifices and hard work, all of her children were well-educated. She taught them to always love each other and live in unity no matter what the circumstances are. Even though the family income was not very stable, Ms. Pham always donated her money to charities and unfortunate people. A woman dedicated to her religion and love for Christ and others, she joined the third order of the Dominican. She prayed, sang, and helped elderly people with their needs - always putting others' needs before her own. In 1991, Ms. Pham reunited with her husband in America. Not knowing English, she stayed at home to cook and do house works while her husband and children went to work. She helped her neighbors with a lot of things, from taking in their trash to cooking for them. Everybody loved her and called her the gentle and sweet woman. Along with her caring nature, her smile made everyone's day. Even if she did not know how to communicate with others through words, her smile was enough. Though she lived a simple life, it was a life with no regrets and she lived each day to the fullest. She lived in Christ and with Christ in all aspects of her life. Each moment she had, she glorified the Lord with her thoughts, actions, and words. Her life of prayer brought peace into her life and even the lives of her loved ones. While on her sickbed, she still prayed and sang hymns to praise God. She never complained about anything because she knew that God had a plan for her and would always be by her side. She will be missed by many people, including her husband, children, grandchildren, and friends.