Hong Thai Ly

Hong Thai Ly

(10/10/1942 - 03/24/2025)

Hong Thai Ly, a resident of Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, passed away after a 6-month battle with liver cancer. Hong was born and grew up in An Giang, Vietnam. He enlisted in the South Vietnamese Army in 1963 and fought alongside American soldiers during the Vietnam War. After the war ended in April 1975, he was sent to the re-education camp in the northern region of Vietnam until his release in 1981. He escaped Vietnam by boat and was rescued by an American oil tanker operating in the Gulf of Thailand in 1982. Hong, his elder son, and others on the same journey were then sent to various refugee camps in Thailand and the Philippines. Hong and his elder son arrived in America in the summer of 1982. His immediate family was finally reunited in 1985. Hong is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Tam Nguyen, their four children and their spouses, Hien – Nhu (TX), Kimmie - Charlie (NJ), Hien - Minh (PA), Cathy - Tien (FL), and 8 grandchildren, Bao, Angie, Morgan, Andy, Destin, Austin, Justin, and Tienna.

Family and friends are invited to his memorial service which will be held at The Donohue Funeral Home, 8401 West Chester Pike at Lynn Blvd, Upper Darby, PA 19082 on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. with the Honorable monk Đồng Tung at Chùa Giàc Lam officiating. Interment will be private.

Our family wishes to express our thanks and appreciation to the medical staffs at UPenn Medicine for the care and support that our loved one received.