Mr. Nghia Pham's Obituary
Mr. Nghia C. Pham, known affectionately as “Mr. Kim,” a husband, soldier, father, loving grandfather, pillar of his community, and monk passed away on July 17, 2018. Nghia was born on August 22, 1943 in Cai Be, Vietnam in the Mekong River Delta.After working as a Vietnamese-English interpreter with the U.S. military from ages 16 to 25, he became a 1st Lieutenant in the South Vietnamese Army. Following the fall of the Republic of Vietnam, Nghia fled with his family to a refugee camp in Malaysia before making his way to Memphis under sponsorship of the United States Catholic Charities in 1978.Once in Memphis, “Mr. Kim” and his wife, Kim Be Chung, dedicated their lives to helping other immigrants make Memphis their home. The loving couple established the first Vietnamese foods grocery, built the first Buddhist temple, and made themselves a pillar of their community.In 2000, he renounced his worldly possessions to don the saffron robes of a Buddhist monk.Nghia was preceded in death by his wife Kim, his parents Pham Chon Nhon and Bui Thi Muon, his two sons, Tam and Thanh, his granddaughter, Elizabeth, and his grandson, Jonathon. He leaves behind his children, Pham Ngoc An, Pham Thi Kim Anh, Pham Thi Kim Ngan, Kristina Pham, Karina Tong, Monica Pham, 25 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.His visitation will be at Memorial Park Funeral Home on Saturday, July 21 from 4 p.m.-8 p.m., and the service will be on Sunday, July 22 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.The family requests that no flowers be sent and to consider making a donation to the charity of your choice Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38119 (901) 767-8930. “Celebrating Life… Behind the Stone Wall”.
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