Bay Truong

Bay Thi Truong passed away on March 13, 2026, at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Methodist Campus, Rochester, at the age of 79, from complications of cancer.

Bay was born in Binh Dinh, Vietnam in 1947 to rice growers, one of eight children. She worked in the dining hall of a U.S. Army base during the Vietnam War. She was able to come to the U.S. due to the enactment of the Amerasian Homecoming Act in 1987, which allowed children born in Vietnam to American fathers to immigrate to the U.S. with their close relatives. She and her daughter, Hien, and son-in-law, Trung, lived in a refugee camp in the Philippines in 1993, and in 1994 they moved to Winona. She had left behind four other children. She and her family were sponsored as refugees by Catholic Charities of Winona and St. Mary's Parish, and welcomed by the Winona Catholic Worker, where they stayed at the Dan Corcoran House of Hospitality until moving into their own residence. Bay worked at poultry plants until she was no longer able to work due to an illness, which led to a liver transplant in 2008, giving her a new lease on life.

Over the course of several years, she brought her three sons and one daughter from Vietnam to Winona, completing her dream of having her family all together. She attended ESL classes and became a U.S. citizen in 2001, and later got a driver's license. She became a Catholic in 2001 and was a member of St. Mary’s Parish.

Bay loved living in Winona and especially loved her daily walks around Lake Winona (no matter the weather), greeting people and dogs along the way, and foraging plants to make special teas. She loved to garden and tended a plot at her residence. She frequently visited the Winona Volunteer Services clothing store.

She made many friends and touched many people’s lives through her strong will and determination to live a full life despite her hardships. She gave her homemade egg rolls to people as a thanksgiving for helping her with a variety of tasks.

Bay was diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and recovered, but it returned again a month before she died. She is survived by her five children, Nga Cao (Phuc Nguyen), Hien Cao (Trung Vo), Tuan Cao (Ai Pham), Dung Cao (Thuong Cao), and Cuong Cao (Nga Pham), twelve grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, dear friends; Janet Abts, Barbara Allaire, Jean Bellman, Mary Farrell, Eileen Hanson, Bea Hoffman, and so many friends who enjoyed her beautiful smile, warm company and cherish her memory. She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, and special friend Bob Henson.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Church (1303 W. Broadway) by Father Russ Scepaniak on Thursday, March 19, at 1pm, with visitation at the church 11am-1pm. Visitation will continue after the Funeral Mass at Hoff Celebration of Life Center in Winona until 6:00pm. The family invites memorials to St. Mary’s Church, Winona Catholic Worker, or Winona Volunteer Services.

Hoff Celebration of Life Center – Winona is assisting the family. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.hofffuneral.com

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