Thuy Vo Nguyen

Thuy Vo Nguyen passed away peacefully at home in Atlanta at the age of 73 on July 29, 2023, surrounded by her husband and three daughters. Thuy was born in Saigon, Vietnam on December 6, 1949. Inspired by her father Quan Vo, a prominent defense attorney, Thuy studied law at the Saigon Faculty of Law. In 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War, she evacuated on a US military aircraft with her family and husband Tri and began a journey through the Philippines and Guam to Florida, where a young and generous host family took them in and helped them get settled. She would go on to spend over three decades in Bradenton, FL raising her daughters, supporting her parents, and fostering a community of lifelong friends before moving to Atlanta in her final years to help care for her grandchildren. By all accounts Thuy was a force of nature, equal parts fearless, loving, and kind. Shortly after arriving in the US, she wandered Penn’s campus seeking English language classes; she ended up meeting the Dean and so impressed him that he offered her a job on the spot. Thuy would leave the workforce shortly after the birth of her first daughter and devote herself to the care of her family, with an active focus on her daughters’ education. She was passionate about helping those in need and enjoyed supporting political causes and human rights organizations around the world. Thuy dedicated her life to her mindfulness meditation practice and was happiest when she had the opportunity to share it with others. She regularly attended retreats around the country, cultivating a deep network of friends and teachers along the way. Thuy was endlessly curious about the people and world around her. Those meeting her for the first time were struck by her boundless energy, attention, and continuous stream of questions no matter the topic. She enjoyed walking on the Atlanta Beltline and observing the flowers, trees, and dogs she encountered. When not on her walks, she could typically be found on her iPad Pro reading (and forwarding) The New York Times. Her favorite books included Les Miserables , The Three Musketeers, and Harry Potter. Her other great joys included eating healthy, traveling, the Oscars, commencement speeches, and French language and culture in any form. Among her grandchildren, she will remain famous for her tickle attacks, spare ribs, egg rolls, and “Ba Ngoai Noodles.” Thuy is predeceased by her parents, Quan and No Vo, and survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Tri; three daughters Farrah (Rob), Diane (Mike), and Elan (Becca); five grandchildren Andy, Suzy, Tom, Isaac, and Naomi; and three siblings Truong, Xuan, and Ngoc. Thuy’s family will hold a private funeral service on August 4. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the organizations below. Thuy practiced at many of these centers and especially admired them for their honesty, dedication, and low overhead. INSIGHT RETREAT CENTER108 BIRCH STREDWOOD CITY CA 94062Tax ID: 77-0450217https://www.insightretreatcenter.org COMMON GROUND MEDITATION2700 E 26TH STMINNEAPOLIS MN 55406Tax ID: 33-1021914https://commongroundmeditation.org BUDDHIST GLOBAL RELIEF2020 ROUTE 301CARMEL NY 10512Tax ID: 26-2852923https://buddhistglobalrelief.org SATI SARANIYA HERMITAGE1702 MCVEIGH ROADPERTH, ON K7H 3C9CANADAhttps://satisaraniya.ca