Dale Tran

1974 - 2017

Dale Tran, 42, died unexpectedly in his home on the evening of Jan. 11, 2017. Dale was a force in the community, inspiring all those he met and impacting the public through his work, boundless spirit and volunteer efforts. It is estimated that he raised around $1 million for charities during Kaladi Brothers Coffee's annual New Year's Day Giving campaign. He is a past recipient of the Alaska Journal of Commerce Top Forty Under 40 Award and the Heart of Anchorage George E. Sullivan Award.
Dale was born on Jan. 25, 1974, in Vietnam. His family fled before the fall of Saigon, remaining adrift at sea for almost a week before being taken to a refugee camp in Guam. They eventually settled in Seattle, Wash. The Tran family was one of the first Vietnamese families in Seattle. At the age of 17, he tricked his father into signing U.S. Army enlistment papers. He said that as an immigrant, "I've always felt it was my duty and obligation for the debt that I owed to the country for our freedom." He served in the Washington Army National Guard, before moving to Anchorage, Alaska, in 1996.
In Anchorage, he began working at the Sagaya Corporation. There he met his wife, Joy, a reporter for KTUU Channel 2 News at the time, when she interviewed him for a story. During the interview the two discovered that not only did they both grow up in Seattle, but they also attended the same high school. They married in 2009 in Seattle. Shortly thereafter, they had their daughters: 5-year-old Isabella and 4-year-old
Abigail.
Dale was a dedicated father who loved story time, planning memorable birthday parties and bringing family and friends together over a delicious meal. He was a generous and kind man who loved photography, fishing, golf and ensuring everyone was drinking the best coffee he could make. Dale lived by the lesson "be yourself," and until his final hours; he was inspired by his family, his work and his faith.
Along with working at Kaladi Brothers Coffee as the Chief Finance Officer, he was on the advisory committee for the 49th State Angel Fund, a program that works to help spur local economic development. Dale was an alumnus and current MBA student of the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), served on UAA Chancellor's Advisory Board, Anchorage School District (ASD) School Business Partnership Board, Tanaina Child Development Task Force and Holy Family Cathedral Finance Committee.
Dale is also survived by his parents and his six siblings, Van, Tien, Quyet, Chi, Nguyet and Kennedy. He is preceded in death by his grandparents; and his brother, Thien.
The funeral is scheduled for 9 a.m., on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, at Holy Family Cathedral with a reception to follow. Flowers will be accepted at Holy Family Cathedral. Contributions can be made to a college fund for Isabella and Abigail "Abby" Tran at Northrim Bank.