Obituary of Hiep Van Nguyen

Hiep Van Nguyen, 66, was born October 25, 1956, in Da Nang, Viet Nam and passed away Thursday, May 4, 2023, in Pasadena, Texas. He is preceded in death by his father  Van Hoat Nguyen; mother Pham Thi Thanh; and brother Van Hau “Duc”. Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife Hannah Phan; daughters Tracey Dinh and husband, Tim, Vi Tran and husband, Howie; stepsons An Nguyen, Huy Nguyen and wife, Phuong;  siblings Van My Nguyen, Van Hao “Thong” Nguyen, Van Hoanh “Anh” Nguyen, Thi Cuc Hoa Nguyen, Van Huan “Hien” Nguyen, Van Hoa Nguyen, Hiep Thuan Nguyen, Van Ha “Hoang” Nguyen, Hoa “Ha” Nguyen; grandchildren Lauren Dinh, Nathan Nguyen, Kenneth Dinh, Hunter Tran, Henley Tran, Hendrix Tran, and a host of many other family and friends.

Hiep was an avid fisherman and loved the ocean. He traveled whenever possible and never turned down a chance to see nature. He enjoyed time spent with family and friends and had gatherings almost every weekend.

Hiep was an Eagle Scout in Vietnam and was a Boy Scout Leader after he came to America. He was very active in the Houston Vietnamese community and provided transition support for newly arrived immigrants. Hiep was a Buddhist Youth Leader for almost 20 years (first as part of Gia Dinh Phat Tu Phat Quang in South Houston and then part of Gia Dinh Phat Tu Linh Son in Dickinson).

He liked staying active and fit. Hiep enjoyed singing karaoke, ballroom dancing, ping pong and tennis. He practiced a variety of martials arts including Karate, Judo, and had a blackbelt in Taekwondo. He loved games and played everything from dice and cards to video games like Pac Man and Tetris. He was always up for a challenging session of cờ tướng and patiently taught anyone interested in learning. Hiep had a green thumb and was well-known for the numerous plants in his house. His favorite plants to grow were exotic orchids or spicy peppers to share with others.

Hiep tried many fields of work when he first arrived in America. He worked in retail, restaurants, and manufacturing before settling on a career that challenged his mind as well as his skills. He was a machinist and worked for over 25 years at Pump Arts. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Services for Hiep will be held at Clayton Funeral Home, 5530 West Broadway, Pearland, Texas. Visitation is scheduled on Monday, May 8, 2023, from 4:00 – 8:00 pm. The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at 10:00 am.