Duoc Nguyen

Duoc Nguyen passed away after a life marked by quiet strength, resilience, and deep devotion to his family. Orphaned at the age of eight in Phan Rang, Vietnam, he was found eating discarded mangos on the street and taken in by a kind family. He later served in the navy, where he and his beloved Lai Diep grew up together and fell in love. The Vietnam War separated them and brought immense hardship, teaching his children the true cost of conflict. After the war, Duoc endured three years in a re-education camp, where he changed his name to Lee to protect himself. Through a remarkable stroke of luck, he was mistakenly released and returned home.

Determined to build a safer future, Duoc captained a boat carrying refugees out of Phan Rang, navigating by the stars and sunset over 700 miles to Hong Kong while avoiding pirate waters and carefully rationing water. It was there that his son was born. Thanks to his earlier military service alongside the United States, the family was granted residency and settled first in Somerset, Pennsylvania, before moving to Portland, Oregon, to join a growing Vietnamese community. Duoc worked for more than two decades at a silicon factory while raising his two sons. Reserved by nature, he found joy in sports, especially playing basketball with his boys at Wallace Park after school, evening poker games, and cheering for the Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Seahawks.

He is survived by his sons and their families, including a grandson who ends his nightly prayers with heartfelt words of love and missing for his grandparents. Duoc lost his wife Lai five years ago and is now reunited with her. His life of silent example taught his children more than words ever could, leaving behind a legacy of courage, protection, and quiet love that continues to guide them.