January 1, 1948 - June 8, 2026
OBITUARY
Nhuần Thị Trần was born in Sóc Trăng, Vietnam, on January 1, 1948. She was the
eldest of four daughters born to her father, Can Trần, and mother, Chinh Thị Hua. She is
survived by her sisters, Mùi Thị Trần, Tuyết-Nga Thị Trần, and Chu Thị Trần. She
married Thuận Văn Huỳnh in 1968 and went on to have four sons: Thương Ngọc Huỳnh
(Michael), Thanh Ngọc Huỳnh (Tony), Thính Ngọc Huỳnh (Johnny), and Lâm Tiến
Huỳnh (Tim).
When the Vietnam War began, Thuận fought in the South Vietnamese Army alongside
American soldiers. Following the end of the war, Thuận was placed in a re-education
camp. Upon his release in 1979, he fled Vietnam for the United States, hoping to
eventually send for his wife and four young sons.
After a couple of failed attempts to escape, Nhuần and three of her four sons
successfully secured passage and fled Vietnam by boat in 1982. Due to unfortunate and
heartbreaking circumstances, she had to leave Johnny behind, though he was
eventually able to escape later with his aunt and cousins. Their boat ran out of fuel, lost
course, and ended up in Malaysian waters, leading them to Bidong Island, Malaysia.
They were later transferred to a refugee camp in Bataan, Philippines, where they spent
most of their time before the processing center located Thuận.
In the summer of 1983, Nhuần, Michael, Tony, and Tim were finally on their way to
America, where they reunited with Thuận in North Carolina. Johnny joined the family
later in 1986. They stayed in North Carolina for a few more years, during which time
they welcomed their fifth son, Valuable Trọng Huỳnh. In the summer of 1987, the family
relocated to Stockton, California, which has been their home ever since.
Nhuần dedicated her life to her home and raising her five boys. Her love language was
food; she always ensured a warm meal was waiting and that the rice cooker was full for
her family. Outside of caring for her family, which occupied most of her time, she found
great joy in volunteering at various Buddhist temples.
As the years passed, each of her sons married: Michael and Thắm, Tony and Mie (and
his late wife, Tracy), Johnny and Như Ý, Tim and Noreli, and Valuable and Sonya. They
began families of their own, and Nhuần cherished watching her grandchildren grow. In
total, Thuận and Nhuần were blessed with 14 grandchildren: Richard, Anthony, Tiffany,
Tyson, Joshua, Matthew, Nhu-Tien, Skylar, Jayson, Mickayla, Brayden, Natalie, Myles,
and Mila. She is survived by all of her immediate family members, as well as a plethora
of extended family in the United States, Vietnam, and China.
In Spring of 2025 Nhuần was diagnosed with cancer of the gallbladder. Choosing
comfort over treatment, she decided to live out her remaining days embracing life,
making each holiday and family gathering all the more precious. As her health slowly
declined, Nhuần Thị Trần took her final breath on the evening of June 8, 2026, at 9:08
p.m., surrounded by the family who comforted her until she was at peace.
Nhuần Thị Trần was not only the matriarch of a large family; she was their quiet
strength. She endured numerous hardships in Vietnam, managing a household of four
young boys while her husband was away. She braved an escape by sea alone with
three of her sons, enduring the agonizing pain of leaving one behind and the uncertainty
of ever seeing her homeland again. She then immigrated to a foreign country and
successfully raised five boys, making it her life’s mission to ensure her family was
nurtured in the best way she knew how—with food. Her voice will fondly be
remembered shouting, “Ăn cơm!” Her incredible fortitude is what kept her family moving
forward, a legacy they deeply honor.
The family takes comfort in knowing that in the weeks leading up to her passing, she
was surrounded by the friends and family who loved her so dearly. While their hearts
are heavy and she will be profoundly missed, they are grateful that she is finally at
peace and free from the burden of cancer. The family extends their deepest gratitude to
Valuable and Sonya Huynh for opening their hearts and home, providing their Mom and
Bà Nội with boundless love, care, and comfort until her very last breath.
Nhuần Thị Trần was deeply loved, and she will be missed forever.
VISITATION
A visitation will be held from 11:00am - 7:00pm on Friday, July 10th, 2026 at the Vineyard Chapel at Cherokee Memorial Park, located at 14165 N. Beckman Rd, Lodi, CA 95240.
SERVICE
A service will be held at 9:00am on Saturday, July 11th, 2026 at the Vineyard Chapel at Cherokee Memorial Park, located at 14165 N. Beckman Rd, Lodi, CA 95240.
Please leave your condolences below.
Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Tran family.
