Luan Thi Vo

After a long and beautiful life, Luan Thi Vo passed away peacefully on August 21, 2026, at the age of 91.

Born on January 16, 1935, in My Tho, South Vietnam, to Tu Van Vo and Tien Thi Nguyen, Luan lived a remarkable life shaped by faith, courage, resilience, and an unwavering devotion to family.

As a young woman, Luan taught French and mathematics at a preparatory high school in Vietnam. She married Long Thanh Nguyen in Saigon in 1955, and together they raised their six children, eventually making their home in Nha Trang. Following the unexpected death of Long’s father, Luan also helped care for his five younger siblings, beginning a lifelong commitment to caring for the people around her.

Luan was also a gifted cook. While Long served as an officer in the South Vietnamese military and later operated a restaurant, she prepared meals for more than 100 soldiers at a time. Cooking became one of the many ways she expressed her generosity and love throughout her life.

In 1975, Luan’s life changed forever. As the war was ending, she gathered her family and made her way to Saigon. At 40 years old, she escaped Vietnam with her six children and young grandson, determined to find safety and a new future for her family. Their journey took them by sea from Vietnam to a refugee camp in Guam and eventually to Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania. Arriving with only the clothes on their backs, $100 to her name, limited English, and tremendous uncertainty about the future, Luan began building a new life in the United States, not only for her children, but alongside her mother, aunt, sister, and sister’s five children.

The family eventually settled in Trenton, New Jersey, where Luan’s determination and resourcefulness helped them establish a new home. Over the years, she worked in many roles, including cooking for a senior community, managing and operating Luan’s Corner near Sacred Heart Church, and later cooking and working at St. John’s the Baptist Roman Catholic Church.

Creative and talented with her hands, Luan loved sewing, knitting, and designing clothing. She made her own clothes as well as clothing for others. Her granddaughters especially remember bringing her a dress they admired in a magazine and watching her recreate it for them; a reflection of both her remarkable talent and the love she put into everything she made.

Above all, Luan was devoted to her family. That devotion extended deeply to her grandchildren, traveling and at times living with them to help care for them and becoming a second mother to many. The courage she showed in bringing her children to America created opportunities for the generations that followed. Her legacy lives on through the traditions, faith, stories, and love she passed down to them.

Luan's Catholic faith remained a constant throughout her life. She found joy in cooking, gardening, nature, and creating beautiful things for the people she loved. She also loved to travel, whether visiting family near and far or exploring different countries and experiencing new places. She was determined and strong-willed, deeply respected by her family, and happiest when using her many talents to care for those around her.

Above all, Luan was devoted to her family. The courage she showed in bringing her children to America created opportunities for the generations that followed. Her influence lives on through the traditions, faith, stories, and love she passed down to them.

Luan is survived by her six children, Thuy Nguyen (Truyet Mai), Tuyen Nguyen (Megan Vo), Giang Lim (Wayne Lim), Hai Nguyen (Yen Nguyen), Thanh Nguyen, and Cao Nguyen (Alicia Nguyen); her 11 grandchildren, Tuan Nguyen (Emily Nguyen), My-Tien Nguyen, Vinh Nguyen (Hong Phan), Thuy-Tien Mac (Adolfo Maalindog), Matthew Wynn (Kristen Martensen), Sabrina Nguyen, Alex Nguyen, Andrew Nguyen, Justin Nguyen, Nathan Guenther, and Garrett Nguyen; and her six great-grandchildren, Braeden Nguyen, Natalie Nguyen, Braxton Nguyen, Chloe Nguyen, Christopher Nguyen, and Noa Wynn.

She is also survived by her younger sisters-in-law, whom she lovingly cared for and helped raise as a mother figure: Sang Thi Nguyen, Kim Dinh Ward (William Ward), Cam-Van Thi Nguyen (Bang Vu), and Cam-Ha Thi Nguyen.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Long Thanh Nguyen; her parents, Tu Van Vo and Tien Thi Nguyen; and her five siblings, Thi Van Vo, Tho Thi Vo, Binh Cong Vo, Huu Thi Vo, and Phuc Thi Vo.

Luan’s 91 years spanned two countries and generations. She will be remembered not only for the extraordinary challenges she overcame, but for what she created afterward: a home, a community, and a family whose lives will forever carry a part of her.

All are welcome to join the family in celebrating Luan’s life on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. A viewing will be held from 9:30–10:30 a.m. at Peppler Funeral Home, 114 South Main Street, Allentown, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, 1282 Yardville-Allentown Road, Allentown, NJ. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery. A private family reception will follow the burial.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Luan's name to Vietnamese Boat People (www.vietnameseboatpeople.org) — dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of Vietnamese refugees and their families for future generations or to Vietnamese American Roundtable (www.varoundtable.org) — dedicated to preserving Vietnamese American heritage, amplifying community voices, and supporting future generations.