Doan, Ngoc

Ngoc Doan passed away Sunday night, December 24, 2023 surrounded by family in St. Louis, MO. Throughout his life, Ngoc was known as a warm and steadfast community member, friend, brother, father, grandfather, husband. Born on November 11, 1935 in Hue, the imperial capital of Vietnam, Ngoc remained proud of his roots.

Ngoc was committed to his community from Vietnam to St. Louis. He volunteered to coordinate the building of Buddhist temples in Vietnam—which is how he met his wife, Oanh Tang, in Mỹ Tho—and continued this tradition when he immigrated to the US in 1979 with Oanh and their only daughter, Dathu. After going back to school to study computer operations and working at Emerson, Ngoc devoted his career to being a caseworker for migrants through the International Institute of St. Louis. He was committed to bringing people in, making sure other refugees could transition into St. Louis with the care and welcome he personally experienced. He was an active member of his temple, the Van Thu Buddhist Temple, and a beloved cook of Central Vietnamese food by his extended family and his two granddaughters, Katie and Megan. He was known by his many communities as a happy man, constantly smiling—someone who was delighted by the world around him and its everyday beauties.

Ngoc was, for the entirety of his life, a tender father, husband, and grandfather. He took care in everything he did, and will be remembered for his loving nature, thoughtful spirit, and dedication to those around him.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024 at the Affton Chapel located off 10151 Gravois Road, St. Louis, MO 63123. Visitation hours will be open the same Tuesday from 8:00-10:00 a.m and 12:00-2:00 p.m.