Te Dam

Te Dam of Des Moines, Iowa, passed away at the age of 78 on December 10, 2024 at 3:40 PM, Methodist Hospital. Te was born on April 15, 1946, in Saigon, VN., to parents Tuoc Quan and Nu Dam.
Te married Huong in 1972, having 5 children together. Huong left for America with their children in 1988. Te soon joined them 3 years after, in 1991. Together, they made Des Moines, Iowa their home, where Te worked at Aramark, retiring in his 50's.
After Te retired, you could find him spending most of his time outdoors in the spring and summer, tending to his garden, planting flowers and vegetables. He appreciated the little things in life.
Te was a caring person with a kind soul, on every occasion, thinking of others before himself. Although he was a man of few words, you would always find him with a smile on his face. When there was food on the table, he'd be the last to eat, making sure everyone else got to eat first. His empathy could be felt in his presence. No matter who you were, he would always offer you a plate to eat. Te made sure those around him were fully fed and happy.
Te is survived by his loving wife Huong Luong of 52 years; and his children, Tony (Thach) Luong, Quyen Luong (Chris Block), Van Luong (Van Ho), Nam Dam, Kaylinn Quan, and Dylan (Kellie) Quan. Along with his brother, Cuu Dam, and daughter, Tran Tu Thi Dam of Vietnam. Te will forever be remembered through his 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren in America; along with his 2 nieces, 2 nephews, 5 great nieces, and 1 great nephew in Vietnam.
Flowers may be sent to Merle Hay Funeral Home and donations may be directed to any immediate family member to be distributed to various Buddhist temples.