Can Ba Nguyen

NGUYEN BA CAN

Disciple who took refuge in Buddhism; Dharma name: DUC TAM NIEM

1935-2026

Born in Chuong My, Ha Dong, now part of Hanoi, Vietnam. Upon reaching adulthood, he bid farewell to his mother and siblings to join his father in the South to establish a career. He entered the military, starting at the Dong De military training center; his ambition spanned the arduous days of marching; his military career flourished with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the General Staff of the National Defense of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces. After the political upheaval of 1975, along with many other soldiers of the Republic of Vietnam, he was sent to a re-education camp of the new Vietnamese government for nearly 10 years. After his release, he returned to his home in District 10, Saigon, Vietnam, and opened a family-run carpentry workshop making cabinets, beds, tables, and chairs for business.

With the humanitarian policy agreed upon between the then-current Vietnamese government and the United States, he brought his entire family to settle in Minnesota, USA in 1991. Life in his new homeland began with countless hardships; but with unwavering determination, he was always ready with the spirit and strength to support his wife and children whenever needed, ensuring his wife's peace of mind and his children's stable upbringing. Entering his 80s, his health deteriorated, and after a long period of struggle with illness, he passed away at a hospital near his home on February 19, 2026, at the age of 90. His final moments were attended by his wife, children, and grandchildren, filled with immeasurable grief.

Three things in his life were his greatest pride:

"As an official, I succeeded!"

"As a citizen, I succeeded!"

"Wherever I went, I survived!"

Your children and grandchildren will always remember your kindness in raising, protecting, and sheltering them.

Father, you lived a life full of joy, anger, love, hatred, sorrow, happiness, and longing; a life of complete devotion to your wife and children. May you be free from the burdens of this life and depart in peace and serenity.

Thursday, February 26, 2026

Minnesota, USA

Your wife, children, and grandchildren