Kevin D. Duong

Kevin "Big Boy" Dung Duong, 66, was a beloved husband, father, brother, and uncle. After battling cancer for six years, Kevin passed away on January 2, 2023 in Orange County, CA whilst surrounded by family.

Born in Saigon, Vietnam on January 28, 1956, Kevin was eldest son to the late Louise Hiep Duong. As a young boy, he frequented Saigon's Central Post Office where he traded stamps from around the world. His teenage years directly overlapped with the Vietnam War. Kevin enlisted as a paratrooper in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam's Mu Do division (Red Berets). He served in counterintelligence and fought alongside US troops.

After imprisonment and escape from a concentration camp, Kevin met his eventual wife whilst plotting their escape from Vietnam. It took three attempts to finally flee on a fishing boat under the cover of night. At various points Kevin battled ocean currents to retrieve oil fuel barrels from other sunken boats. They eventually reached France with zero possessions where they were granted refugee status. In Paris they adapted, learned French, and led simple lives.

After eight years, Kevin and his wife hit the reset button again. They left France for California to reunite with his mother and eight siblings who also escaped Vietnam. He learned English and built a blue collar life. His attention to detail earned him the most complex tasks at his day job of electronics assembly. Evenings were spent obtaining auto mechanic credentials at Santa Ana Community College. On Saturdays, he enjoyed being a grease monkey at his brother-in-law's auto shop. He rediscovered his love for stamp collecting, voraciously read war novels, and enjoyed Italian subs and Collin Street Bakery fruitcakes.

Kevin was an eternal optimist who always put others first. He donated to numerous causes with an affinity for helping cancer survivors, war veterans, and Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA). He woke up everyday in service of three children whom he taught to cherish the simple things: do honest work and enjoy Friday evening VHS movie rentals.

Left to honor and cherish his memories are wife Lucia Duong; son Alex Duong (Alexandra Traviss); son Arnold Duong (Melody Avena); daughter Amy Duong (Ken Marion); siblings and respective families of Rachel, Michelle, Tony, Michael, Vincent, Kimberly, Renee, and predeceased Kenneth; countless nieces and nephews across the US, Australia, France, and Vietnam; and family dogs Lucky, Rocky, Boise, and Boomer.

Family and friends are invited to visitation 3-8 pm on January 16 at Peek Funeral Home in Westminster, CA. Mass service begins 9:30 am on January 17 at St. Cecilia in Tustin, CA. Burial to follow at nearby Holy Sepulcher Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests supporting the artists at mfpausa.com.

Kevin's life will be remembered by his favorite words "live simply so that others may simply live."

VIETNAMESE TRANSLATION

Kevin "Big Boy" Dung Duong, 66 tuoi, la nguoi chong, nguoi cha, nguoi anh ca, va nguoi bac than yeu cua chung toi. Sau sau nam chien dau voi can benh ung thu, anh Kevin da qua doi trong vong tay than yeu cua gia dinh vao ngay 2 thang 1 nam 2023 tai Quan Cam, CA.

Sinh ngay 28 thang 1 nam 1956 tai Sai Gon, Viet Nam, anh Kevin la con trai ca cua ba cu co Louise Hiep Duong. Khi con la mot cau be, anh thuong lui toi Buu dien Sai Gon vi anh thich suu tam va trao doi tem tu khap noi tren the gioi. Tuoi thieu nien cua anh lon len trong Chien tranh Viet Nam. Anh gia nhap binh chung Nhay Du (Mu Do) cua Quan Luc Viet Nam Cong hoa, phuc vu trong phong An Ninh Quan Doi va chien dau ben canh quan doi Hoa Ky.

Sau khi bi tu va tron thoat khoi trai tap trung, anh Kevin tim duong vuot bien khoi Viet Nam, va nho do ma anh da gap go duoc nguoi ban doi cua minh. Sau ba chuyen vuot bien bang thuyen danh ca trong man dem day nguy hiem va thu thach, co luc phai vat lon voi song gio bien du de vot lay nhung thung dau tu nhung chiec thuyen bi chim khac, anh cung thoat khoi Viet Nam. Cuoi cung, vo chong anh duoc nuoc Phap nhan cho ti nan, va cuoc song moi bat dau tu con so khong. O tai Paris, hai vo chong hoc tieng Phap, va thich nghi voi mot doi song moi don gian. Sau tam nam, anh Kevin va vo lai lam lai tu dau. Gia dinh anh roi Phap den California de doan tu voi me va tam anh chi em. Anh hoc tieng Anh va chon chuyen nganh lap rap trang thiet bi dien tu. O hang, anh la chuyen vien lap rap nhung bo phan dien tu kho nhat nho tinh cach lam viec chi tiet va ti mi cua minh.

Buoi toi sau gio lam viec, anh di hoc them o dai hoc cong dong Santa Ana de lay chung chi chuyen mon sua xe. Vao cac ngay thu Bay, anh con la mot nguoi tho may yeu nghe tai tiem sua xe cua em re.

Cuoc song on dinh, anh tim lai duoc niem yeu thich suu tam tem, doc ngau nghien cac loai sach truyen chien tranh, thuong thuc banh mi thit Y va banh trai cay cua tiem banh Collin Street.

Anh Kevin la mot nguoi luon lac quan, luon dat chu tam va nguoi khac len hang dau. Anh quyen gop cho nhieu muc dich tu thien, dac biet quan tam va giup do nhung nguoi song sot sau benh ung thu, cuu chien binh, va Hoi Hoa Si Ve Tranh bang Mieng va Chan (MFPA).

Moi ngay anh thuc day de cham soc ba nguoi con, day do cac con phai biet tran trong nhung dieu don gian: song luong thien cong chinh, va vui niem vui don so nhu khi muon phim VHS ve nha coi vao nhung toi thu Sau.

Anh da ra di, de lai bao tiec thuong vo han cung niem tu hao vo han cho gia dinh: vo Lucia Duong; con trai Alex Duong (Alexandra Traviss); con trai Arnold Duong (Melody Avena); con gai Amy Duong (Ken Marion); cac anh chi em va gia dinh cua Rachel, Michelle, Tony, Michael, Vincent, Kimberly, Renee, Kenneth da qua doi; cung nhieu cac chau trai va chau gai tren khap Hoa Ky, Uc, Phap va Viet Nam; va nhung chu cho trong gia dinh Lucky, Rocky, Boise va Boomer.

De tuong nho va dua tien anh, tang gia xin kinh moi quy than bang quyen thuoc va ban be den tham vieng tu 3 gio chieu den 8 gio chieu ngay 16 thang 1 tai Nha Quan Peek o Westminster, CA. Tang le bat dau luc 9:30 sang ngay 17 thang 1 tai Nha Tho St. Cecilia o Tustin, CA. Sau thanh le, linh cuu anh se duoc an tang tai Nghia Trang Holy Sepulcher.

Thay vi phung dieu va gui vong hoa, gia dinh xin quy than bang quyen thuoc quyen gop ung ho cho cac hoa si khuyet tat qua trang mang mfpausa.com.

Con nguoi cua anh Kevin se luon duoc tuong nho qua cach song o doi cua anh, mot cach song nguyen tac theo dung cau cham ngon ma anh yeu thich nhat: "song don gian de nguoi don gian duoc song."