Obituary of Lanh Thi Lam

Lanh Thi Lam 張 春 蘭
An Indomitable Spirit
April 18, 1944 to August 2, 2021

Loving wife of Ninh Phu Huynh (deceased 2018), and mother of Vinh (Rebecca), Khanh (deceased 1977), Kim, Tran (Dennis), and Vien (Garvin).  Affectionate and doting grandmother of Lien, Mai-Anh, Abigail, Tai, Samuel, Louisa and Kian.

Our mother, Lanh, was a fiercely independent woman, full of strength with an iron will. She was an indomitable spirit in the most daunting of challenges. Born at a time and in circumstances where the odds of achieving a stable, happy future were narrowly defined, she would reverse these long odds, and build a brave and beautiful life. Our mother was a trailblazer, defying the conventions and expectations of her time to carve out her way in the world, successfully setting the future generations on their own paths with great purpose.

A decision made by her parents, Truong Tai (father) and Lam Binh An (mother), would serve to pave the way.  They would undertake a brave migration, like their Hakka ancestors had done in centuries past. In 1942, they escaped war and poverty in China, leaving the village of Qingxi Yangtou, Dongguan County, province of Quangdong, 中國廣東省東莞縣清溪羊頭村, and settling first in Trà Vinh, South Vietnam. This is where Lanh’s story would begin.  She was the second oldest of 7 children, younger sister to Kien Phat (deceased), and beloved older sister to Xuong, Mai (deceased), Huong, Dao, and Thang.

In her early life she was known as Truong Xuan Lan, a “spring flower”. However, happenstance would bestow Lanh with her mother’s maiden name. Known as Lanh Thi Lam - this act would carve an identity, rooted in the strong female role model set by her mother. 

Her family eventually relocated to Bien Hoa, and as per the custom of that time, her parents started making plans to secure a marriage to guarantee her future.  Lanh resisted this convention to marry young. Instead, she put herself through seamstress training in Saigon and started her own tailoring business. From that point on, her life would be on her own terms.Then, on a fortuitous day at a swimming pool in Bien Hoa, she met Ninh Huynh. They were both there to meet different people, but instead on that day, their futures would be intertwined in a love story that spanned five decades. 

They started a family, and forged a life during the turbulence of the Vietnam War.  The cataclysmic event of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975 would hurtle them towards an uncertain future. As a soldier with the defeated Army of the Republic of Vietnam, Ninh was imprisoned in a communist re-education camp, leaving Lanh as the primary caregiver and provider for three young children. This was a tumultuous time, as their family suffered significant economic losses and cultural/political uncertainty after the war. Finally, after a year of imprisonment, Ninh was released. Upon his return, Ninh and Lanh worked tirelessly to find the means to leave Vietnam.

Her early decision to earn a livelihood as a seamstress proved crucial, as the business was instrumental in rebuilding the funds needed to pay the hefty passage to leave Vietnam. Even at the end, she was desperately selling bolts of fabric to scrape together every last bit to purchase the exodus fee for a family of six in April 1979. 

With great risk, Lanh and Ninh would bring their family on a crowded and grueling boat journey across the South China Sea. Lanh huddled with 201 refugees on a boat measuring 18 metres by 2 metres into an uncertain future. A hard working and protective mother, she and Ninh did their best over the five days and four nights to care for two young boys, a toddler and an infant. But as the journey stretched on, the family subsisted on crackers and water, with the desperate situation reaching an end as they eventually made landfall in Malaysia.

Lanh ensured that all her children were cared for as they wandered as stateless refugees from one camp to another. She would creatively take the subsistence rations of rice, flour, and cans of sardines to prepare their daily meals. However, hunger was constant, so Lanh sold her jewelry to supplement the rations to purchase food for her family. 

Six months following their arrival in Malaysia, she greeted the news of our family’s acceptance by Canada as refugees with relief and thankfulness. Upon arrival in Birtle, Manitoba, in November 1979, she started adjusting to life in Canada with the help of a sponsorship group affiliated with the Birtle Anglican Church. She acquired language skills in lessons with members of our sponsorship group, and TV shows such as Dallas, Wok with Yan, and Three’s Company.  In addition to caring for her family, she discovered that her skills as a seamstress were in demand as she sewed and altered clothes for families in the town. She continued to do this work when the family moved to Russell, Manitoba. 

During this time, she discerned the need to have a safe and secure place to raise her four children while building a livelihood for the family. Together with her husband, they purchased a restaurant in Rossburn, Manitoba in 1983 and would run it as N & L Restaurant for nearly 11 years. During this time, she was the sustaining force to grow this restaurant, from pizza and chicken, to a range of Chinese food and eventually a full fledged catering business. The restaurant was open seven days a week, 362 days a year, only closing its doors on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.  Lanh found the time to continue sewing for her children in the early hours of the morning before opening the restaurant. 

Lanh valued a tight knit family, and she reinforced this commitment by working side by side with all her children, ensuring that they contributed to the restaurant as they were able. Here, she imparted to them the value of hard work, honest effort and leadership skills. Then, with her children on the cusp of post-secondary learning, she and her husband agreed to take the next step as a family by selling the restaurant and moving to Calgary, Alberta. This was another challenging transition, which she wholeheartedly embraced. While her children attended high school and the University of Calgary, she and Ninh worked hard delivering newspapers in the hundreds in the early mornings, and in later years in the U of C Food Services to provide and support their childrens’ learning. 

While they continued to work hard during these years, they also enjoyed a slower pace than  their years in the restaurant. Mom enjoyed her early morning swim and tai chi classes at Sir Winston Churchill Pool. Here, she met and fellowshipped with so many good friends over the years with these conversations continuing over coffee and tea at Northland Mall’s McDonald’s. Lanh also developed a green thumb, caring for beautiful plants in her home, prolifically raising a number of them from clippings and bringing beautiful blooms month over month.  

She also travelled with Dad to many places in the world. She enjoyed these experiences and would mark these places by purchasing a spoon, a practice that she had learned from her friends in Manitoba. The slower pace also allowed her to travel frequently to visit her family in San Jose, California, known colloquially as “Little Bien Hoa”. The time spent with her mother and father, brothers and sisters in the prosperity of North America was a welcome contrast to their early life struggles.

She quietly rejoiced as all her children graduated and forged meaningful and rewarding livelihoods in their new homeland. Limited in her educational opportunities, Lanh was proud that her four children had obtained eight university degrees among them. She would raise them up to be a high school principal, a PhD economist, an Information Services leader, and a manager in the federal public service. With great sacrifice, she had reversed the odds, enriching Canada with her talented children.

Along the way, she celebrated their marriages and greeted the arrival of seven grandchildren with joy and thankfulness. She eagerly looked forward to the family gatherings and the grandchildrens’ arrival in Calgary every summer and many times at Christmas. 

These gatherings continued to encourage and sustain her, especially as she experienced a growing complexity of health issues, following her beloved Ninh’s passing in 2018. The pandemic postponed the family’s yearly gathering in 2020.  However, by God’s grace, Lanh’s family gathered once more this summer (2021), and she was able to spend an entire week surrounded by their love and affection. It was a beautiful and memorable week for all, before Mom left to be with her husband and to enter into the Lord’s rest. 

In the past years, we are thankful that our Mom was cared for by dedicated healthcare professionals who were critical in managing her chronic conditions.  These include, Dr. Samuel Schorr and Dr. Justine Fong.  We are also thankful to Gera Duhault and her colleagues, and the staff of the Foothills Medical Centre Intensive Care Unit, who cared for mom in her very last days and hours, giving her peace as she left this world.

In lieu of flowers, our family has chosen a cause that pays tribute to our Mom’s life; donations can be made through the “Give in Memory” at the Kidney Foundation of Canada. 

Information for Giving in Memory:
-    Dedicated to “Lanh Lam”
-    Recipient Details for e-card: Lanh Lam and email to Tran.Huynh@gmail.com

Lanh Thi Lam 張 春 蘭
不屈不撓的精神
April 18, 1944 to August 2, 2021
Ninh Phu Huynh（2018 年去世）的愛妻，Vinh（Rebecca）、Khanh（1977 年去世）、Kim、Tran（Dennis）和 Vien（Garvin）的母親。 Lien、Mai-Anh、Abigail、Tai、Samuel、Louisa 和 Kian 的慈祥祖母。
我們的母親Lanh (張春蘭)是一個非常獨立的女人，充滿力量和堅強意志。 在最艱鉅的挑戰中，她具有不屈不撓的精神。 她出生在一個不穩定、未知將來的時代中，但她未受環境的限制， 我們的母親是一位開拓者，懷著堅毅的意志開闢出自己的道路，為後代走上成功的道路作好榜樣。
她的父母 Truong Tai（父親）和 Lam Binh An（母親）亦早為她鋪路。 他們勇敢地遷徙，就像他們的客家人祖先在過去幾個世紀一樣。 1942年，他們逃離中國的戰亂和貧困，離開廣東省東莞縣清溪羊頭村，首先定居越南南部的Trà Vinh。我們母親的故事就從這裡開始。 她是 7 個孩子中排行第二，心愛的姐姐Kien Phat（已故）、妹妹Xuong、Mai（已故）、Huong 、Dao 和 Thang。
她早年被稱為Truong Xuan Lan 意思是“春花”。但偶然的機會下讓Lanh加了她母親娘家的姓氏。 被稱為 Lanh Thi Lam  這個轉變為她塑造一個新身份，也承接了她母親強大的本色。
她和家人最終搬到了Bien Hoa，按照當時的習俗，她的父母開始為她安排婚姻以保證她的未來生活依靠。 Lanh 反對這個傳統配婚，她不想太年輕結婚。 相反，她在西貢接受了裁縫培訓，並開始了自己的裁縫事業。 從那時起，她的生活就由自己的意願而行。其後，在一個游泳中心，遇到了 Ninh Huynh。他們以後的生活就交織在一個跨越五十年的愛情故事中。
在越南戰爭的動盪期間他們組織了自己的家庭。 1975 年 4 月 30 日在西貢淪陷的災難性事件中， 將他們推向不確定的未來。 作為戰敗的越南共和國軍隊的一名士兵，Ninh 被關押在共產主義再教育營，讓 Lanh 成為三個幼兒的主要照顧和供給者。在這一個動蕩的時期，他們的家庭遭受了巨大的經濟損失和政治沖擊。最後，經過一年的監禁，Ninh被釋放。 回家後，Ninh和 Lanh 不斷地尋找離開越南的途徑。
她早期以裁縫謀生的決定顯得至關重要，因為這項服務的收入有助於支付離開越南的巨額費用。 甚至到了最後，她更和丈夫賣掉一切，為一個六口之家湊足流亡費用。並於1979 年 4 月冒著巨大的風險，帶著家人乘坐著擠迫的船穿越南中國海。他們與 201 名難民擠在一艘 18 米乘 2 米長的船上，一同面對不確定的未來。 在五天四夜中竭盡全力照顧兩個小男孩、一個初學步行的嬰兒，繼續艱辛的旅程，一家人只靠餅乾和水維持生命，幸好最終在馬來西亞登陸了。
作為無國籍難民從一個營地到另一個營地時，Lanh 為確保她的孩子都得到照顧，她善用所得的大米、麵粉和沙丁魚罐頭等作為一家日常食用。 然而，飢餓不斷，所以Lanh賣掉了她的珠寶為家人購買更多糧食。
在他們抵達馬來西亞六個月後，得悉被加拿大接納為難民的消息而感到安慰和感激。 1979 年 11 月，他們抵達加國緬省的Birtle鎮後，得到當地聖公會的讚助團體幫助下，開始適應加拿大的生活。 她在該組織的課程中和電視節目中學習英語，例如Dallas, Wok with Yan 和 Three's Company。 除了照顧家人之外，她還為當地的居民作縫紉和改造衣服，她的裁縫技能很受歡迎。當全家搬到緬省的Russell鎮後，她繼續從事這項工作。
在此期間，她意識到需要有一個安全可靠的地方來撫養四個孩子，同時為家庭謀生。 1983 年，她與丈夫一起在緬省Rossburn買了一家餐廳，並將其名為 N & L 餐廳，更經營了近 11 年之久。她是這家餐廳的主要支撐力量，從比薩餅和雞肉到一系列中餐，並最終發展成為一家成熟的餐飲企業。這家餐廳一年 362 天，一周 7 天營業，只在平安夜、聖誕節關門。 Lanh 還找到時間在凌晨開餐廳之前繼續為她的孩子們造衣服。 Lanh 重視一個緊密聯繫的家庭，她通過與所有孩子並肩工作來實現這一目標，確保他們盡力為餐廳作出貢獻。就這樣教導了子女們誠實努力工作和領導技能的價值觀。隨著孩子們即將接受高等教育，她和丈夫同意為一家人邁出下一步，出售餐廳並搬到Calgary, Alberta。這是另一個具有挑戰性的轉變，她全心全意地接受了。當她的孩子們上高中和卡爾加里大學時，她和 Ninh 在清晨努力遞送數百份報紙，又在卡爾加里大學食品服務中心努力工作以支持孩子們的學業費用。
他們在努力工作的同時，也享受著比經營餐廳時較慢的生活節奏。 媽媽在Sir Winston Churchill Pool 享受她的清晨游泳和太極班活動，在Northland Mall’s McDonald喝咖啡時亦結識了許多好朋友。 Lanh 還喜歡在家中栽種植物，培植出大量美麗的花朵。

她和爸爸也曾一起到世界各地旅遊。 她喜歡這些經歷，並在各地購買小匙羹來標記那些地方，這是她從緬省的朋友那裡學到的做法。 休閒生活也讓她可以經常到San Jose, California俗稱“Little Bien Hoa” 那裏探望家人。與父母、兄弟姐妹一起度過愉快時光，這情景與他們早年的生活掙扎形成了鮮明的對比。
當所有的孩子畢業後並在他們的社區建立自己的家園時，她十分安慰和高興。Lanh雖教育程度不高，但四個孩子卻獲得了八個大學學位，她為此感到自豪。 她把兒女們培育成高中校長、經濟學博士、信息服務負責人和聯邦公共服務部門的經理。 她付出了巨大犧牲，使平凡變為不凡，她教育成才的孩子們都致力貢獻加國社會。
她慶幸自己有一段美好婚姻，並以喜悅和感恩的心情迎接了七個孫子的到來。 每年夏天和聖誕節，她都熱切期待著兒孫們來到卡爾加里有家庭聚會。
這些聚會繼續成為她的鼓勵和支持的動力，尤其在她心愛丈夫於 2018 年去世後，她經歷了日益複雜的健康問題。疫情大流行推遲了 2020 年的家庭聚會。然而，靠著上帝的恩典，2021 年夏天Lanh 的家人再次聚會，在他們的愛和熱情包圍下度過整整一周。 在媽媽離開和父親一起安息主懷之前，對所有人來說，這是一個美好而難忘的一周。
在過去的幾年裡，我們為著媽媽得到醫療專業人員的照顧而發出感謝，他們在照療她的慢性病方面發揮了關鍵性作用。特別是Samuel Schorr医生和 Justine Fong 医生。 我們還要感謝 Gera Duhault 和她的同事，以及山麓醫療中心重症室的工作人員，尤其在母親最後幾天中得到他們的悉心照顧，使她能安詳地離開這個世界。
我們向媽媽的一生貢獻致敬；我們希望以捐款代替鮮花, 捐款可以通過加拿大腎臟基金會的 “Give in Memory”進行。(“Give in Memory” at the Kidney Foundation of Canada. )

“Give in Memory” 捐贈資料：-
-獻給“Lanh Lam”
  -電子卡收件人：“Lanh Lam” 並可電郵至以下地址 : Tran.Huynh@gmail.com