Quyen Thi Harris

Quyen "Maile" Thi Harris (aka Kim Phuong Nguyen), age 76, of Las Vegas, Nevada, sadly passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 20th, 2023. Maile was born in Saigon, Vietnam, to Paul Van Nguyen and Truong Thi Le on July 28, 1947, although her official birthdate in the United States is November 15, 1951. Maile spent her childhood in Vietnam with her younger sister. In her adulthood, she attended one year of college in Saigon. She married Lee Thanh, and gave birth to their daughter, Kim Hue in 1969. After Lee was killed in the war, she married Maynard Lee Slothower, with whom she gained four adult stepchildren, Tangi, Dennis, Karla, and Melody. In 1973, Maile moved to Aiea, Hawaii, with her daughter, Kim, and her new husband. In Hawaii, she gave birth to their sons, Wynn in 1974, and Kalani in 1979. Maile loved Hawaii because the tropical plants and flowers reminded her of Vietnam. She enjoyed the beach and would often bring a picnic lunch for the family to enjoy. After making dear and lifelong friends in Hawaii, in 1981, the family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. In both Hawaii and Nevada, she and her new husband, Maynard, who also went by Lee, enjoyed hosting many friends and families who traveled there for vacations. In addition to being a full-time mother, Maile expressed interest in working as well, so she began working as a hostess at Smokey Joe's Cafe at Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall and ended up working there for 18 years. After 24 years of marriage, Lee and Maile decided to divorce.
In 1995, Maile married John Harris, with whom she gained three more stepchildren, Maryann, David, and Daniel. During the 2000s, she and John, purchased summer homes in Salem, Utah, and then in Santaquin, Utah, where they spent three to four months each summer. During their marriage, Maile and John traveled to all 50 states, 49 of them by RV. In 2007, Maile was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cirrhosis and was given roughly two years to live. With John's help, however, Maile fought the disease until she received a new liver in 2013. During that time, they sold their Utah summer home, and Maile lived the remainder of her years in Las Vegas, Nevada, with John, and her dog, Cookie. Maile absolutely loved gardening and canning, and she was proud of her rose bushes and fruit trees. Additionally, she loved her vegetable garden, although she would never eat from it because of the fear of bugs crawling all over them. Therefore, she would always give them away to her family, friends, and neighbors. She also loved cooking and was so talented at it that she was able to replicate any restaurant-made dish. She was also exceptional at bargaining; she could find the best deals, and then cut them in half. When not traveling, she loved decorating her home, especially around the holidays. However, what she loved the most was her family. She considered all children in her marriages as her own children, even if they were stepchildren, and her grandchildren were especially favored and often spoiled. Maile is preceded in death by her first husband, Lee Thanh, her second husband, Maynard Lee Slothower, and her stepdaughter, Karla Foushee. Maile is survived by her husband, John Harris, and her children, Kim (David) Buhler-Thomas of Provo, Utah; Wynn (Leland) Slothower of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Kalani (Tawny) Slothower of Lehi, Utah. She is also survived by her stepchildren whom she considered her own, Maryann Harris of Las Vegas, Nevada; David (Minda) Harris of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Daniel Harris of Reston, Virginia.
Additionally, she is survived by her other stepchildren whom she also was very close with, Tangi Pearson of Swannanoa, North Carolina; Dennis (Debbie) Slothower of Pleasant Grove, Utah; and Melody Slothower of Orem, Utah. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren who were her pride and joy: Giordan, Joshua, David Jr, Jacob, Megan, Cassidy, Jared, Kolby, Jayanna, Caitlin, Riley, Evan, Jolina, Malaea, Lily, and Charlotte. Finally, she is survived by her favorite child, Cookie, her dog who brought her so much happiness. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 pm, on July 31st, 2023, at Davis Funeral Homes and Memorial Park, 6200 South Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89119. The family will be available at 1:00 pm to meet with well-wishers prior to the funeral services. Interment will follow immediately after the funeral services in the Memorial Park.
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