- J
I am An's younger sister. This is her obituary, and her story
Obituary of An Thi Dao
EN FRANÇAIS
An Thi Dao, age 62, died November 21, 2016, in Bowling Green, Kentucky of failing to thrive and complications after many years of living with early onset Alzheimers. Though she was first diagnosed in 2004, she already had been suffering some symptoms of the disease as early as 2000. She was 62.
An was born in Paris, France June 11, 1954 to Irene Valeria Erdwig (Dao) and Tich Trong Dao. An is survived by her son, Jason Aaron Elmore, her daughter in law, Danielle Sharleen Elmore; her grandchildren, Jason Jr, and Maykayla, and her siblings Mai Thanh Dao and Kim Duc Dao.
An attended De Anza College in Cupertino, California where she received her AA in Liberal Arts. Later on she attended the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada where she obtained her Registered Nurse's license. She worked mostly in Rehabilitative nursing and palliative care until she was unable to work in that field.
In the 90’s, she became interested in the foodservice industry and became a bakery manager at La Boulangerie in Los Gatos, California. She had a loyal staff and was well liked, for her kindness, quick smile beneath her shyness, and her great sense of fairness. She worked there until her disease prevented her from being able to work.
An was very artistic and creative. She was an aspiring writer, and an accomplished crafter. She crocheted, knitted, embroidered and sewed with skill.
An struggled with a heroin addiction during a large part of her adult life. During several periods of sobriety - she had her beloved child. She also attended and graduated from nursing school. In her mid forties, with the help of a 12 step program and a Native American spiritual advisor, she was able to permanently kick her addiction and find some dearly earned, modest successes in life. This lasted for a few precious years, until her early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
An was the kindest, sweetest, gentlest person ever. There was a lot of pain in and surrounding her life...but I know that for all of that, she would never ever intentionally want to hurt any person, or any living creature. Nontheless, she felt a great burden most of her life that she did just that. Hurt the ones she loved most. And for that she suffered a lot of guilt and pain. Small mercies she found escape from that with dementia. Never one, with her death though.
Despite her own personal challenges, An still had room and passion in her heart for human rights, and championed several very important causes for decades. She was activist for freeing Leonard Peltier, She strongly advocated for serving the poor and disadvantaged in her local community of Greenville, CA, when she was nursing. And, finally she supported the local and larger indigenous community for providing her the spirtual strength and the support of their unique brand of a 12 step program that helped her find some peace in her sobriety, by her active participation in the community.
An, is gone forever, but never in our hearts. We will love you forever dearly beloved, sister, mother, grandmother, and friend.
This GoFundMe campaign especially important to me to help support her son. I am reaching out to my distant relatives in France, Germany and Vietnam, and my extended human family to support him in his dark hour.
You can honor An’s memory, in one, or both of these ways - any size donation is appreciated.
By donating to her memorial fund here at this Go Fund Me:
75% of funds collected will go directly towards supporting her son. Jason and his family of four who have been struggling on the edge of homelessness. Work is both sporadic and irregular, and they are facing a freezing cold winter in Aberdeen, South Dakota. A financial cushion would be a huge comfort to him and his family right now.
The remaining 25% of the proceeds will go to:
Feather River Tribal Health
By performing an act of activism in her memory - see my Facebook page for further instructions.
Obituary of An Thi Dao
EN FRANÇAIS
An Thi Dao, age 62, died November 21, 2016, in Bowling Green, Kentucky of failing to thrive and complications after many years of living with early onset Alzheimers. Though she was first diagnosed in 2004, she already had been suffering some symptoms of the disease as early as 2000. She was 62.
An was born in Paris, France June 11, 1954 to Irene Valeria Erdwig (Dao) and Tich Trong Dao. An is survived by her son, Jason Aaron Elmore, her daughter in law, Danielle Sharleen Elmore; her grandchildren, Jason Jr, and Maykayla, and her siblings Mai Thanh Dao and Kim Duc Dao.
An attended De Anza College in Cupertino, California where she received her AA in Liberal Arts. Later on she attended the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada where she obtained her Registered Nurse's license. She worked mostly in Rehabilitative nursing and palliative care until she was unable to work in that field.
In the 90’s, she became interested in the foodservice industry and became a bakery manager at La Boulangerie in Los Gatos, California. She had a loyal staff and was well liked, for her kindness, quick smile beneath her shyness, and her great sense of fairness. She worked there until her disease prevented her from being able to work.
An was very artistic and creative. She was an aspiring writer, and an accomplished crafter. She crocheted, knitted, embroidered and sewed with skill.
An struggled with a heroin addiction during a large part of her adult life. During several periods of sobriety - she had her beloved child. She also attended and graduated from nursing school. In her mid forties, with the help of a 12 step program and a Native American spiritual advisor, she was able to permanently kick her addiction and find some dearly earned, modest successes in life. This lasted for a few precious years, until her early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
An was the kindest, sweetest, gentlest person ever. There was a lot of pain in and surrounding her life...but I know that for all of that, she would never ever intentionally want to hurt any person, or any living creature. Nontheless, she felt a great burden most of her life that she did just that. Hurt the ones she loved most. And for that she suffered a lot of guilt and pain. Small mercies she found escape from that with dementia. Never one, with her death though.
Despite her own personal challenges, An still had room and passion in her heart for human rights, and championed several very important causes for decades. She was activist for freeing Leonard Peltier, She strongly advocated for serving the poor and disadvantaged in her local community of Greenville, CA, when she was nursing. And, finally she supported the local and larger indigenous community for providing her the spirtual strength and the support of their unique brand of a 12 step program that helped her find some peace in her sobriety, by her active participation in the community.
An, is gone forever, but never in our hearts. We will love you forever dearly beloved, sister, mother, grandmother, and friend.
This GoFundMe campaign especially important to me to help support her son. I am reaching out to my distant relatives in France, Germany and Vietnam, and my extended human family to support him in his dark hour.
You can honor An’s memory, in one, or both of these ways - any size donation is appreciated.
By donating to her memorial fund here at this Go Fund Me:
75% of funds collected will go directly towards supporting her son. Jason and his family of four who have been struggling on the edge of homelessness. Work is both sporadic and irregular, and they are facing a freezing cold winter in Aberdeen, South Dakota. A financial cushion would be a huge comfort to him and his family right now.
The remaining 25% of the proceeds will go to:
Feather River Tribal Health
By performing an act of activism in her memory - see my Facebook page for further instructions.