Ms. Ngai Thì Phạm was born in Vietnam in 1912 during a tumultuous period of Vietnamese history, when the French government had officially colonized the country, known as French Indochina, to exploit Vietnam's resources.

Ms. Pham, known as the endearing 'Matriarch' by her own as well as her extended family, experienced first hand the oppression and exploitation of colonial rule and power. With the French imperialists monopolized all of the country's commodity, she realized that she could assist her family through arbitraging its price discrepancy. She began to source and traded everything from silk, diamond to jewelry and antiquity. She then transitioned to real estate once the commodity trading receded as the French occupation came to an end.

Owing to her entrepreneurial acumen, she single handedly supported her two daughters and her brothers family.

She was born under the French occupation, raised her family during the Japanese occupation and experienced the full assault of the American military might. Consequently, she made a decision and moved her family, including her brother's, abroad and out of harms way, a monumental task that she accomplished. Ms.Pham was the last person in her family to immigrate to the US in the early 80s.

She was strong willed, courageous, disciplined but also humbled. Full of compassion and righteousness. She was a devoted daughter, older sister, aunt, mother, grandmother and great grandmother and was in turn loved and revered by all of her family and those who knew her. She was small in stature but larger than life in persona.

She was a faithful Buddhist. Lived her life according to Buddhist doctrines of harmony and kindness to all sentient beings. She performed daily Puja for peace and love and the safety of her loved ones.

The Matriarch passed in 1996 and was buried at the Green Hill Memorial park in Ranchos Parlos Verdes, CA

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/ngai-pham/obituary/

Copy