Trang Thi Kim

Trang Kim Obituary
"Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories" – Ronald Regan
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Trang "Ma" Kim, who left us on February 26th, 2024, surrounded by the love of her family. She was 69 years old.
Trang was born on December 31, 1954, in Rach Gia, Vietnam to Linh Danh and Rang Thi Kim, who preceded her in death. The oldest of five siblings. She is survived by her husband of 48 years Sinh Tang. Her wonderful children; Jessie, Kristen (Robert), Thinh (Kelly), Vuong (Jolene) and Thai. She is also survived by her pride and joy, her seven grandchildren Mila, Lola, Charlie, Quynh, Norah, Oliver, and Idris. Along with a large extended family including many brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends.
Trang, along with her husband and five children escaped Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon in 1982. The journey to freedom was filled with challenges as the family walked across the country. Leaving with the clothes on their backs, Ma helped to lead her family into the uncertainty of their new life. Keeping her children safe and holding her youngest in her arms the entire way. This journey would span over three years including time spent in refugee camps. They arrived in Grand Rapids, Michigan in October 1985 and later moved to Wyoming, Michigan where they raised their family. Trang worked tirelessly up until her passing; she was very proud of her 37-year career working in the wood plant at Steelcase. She treasured the friendships she made over the years at work.
Her true passion was her family, and she had an unwavering dedication to her children and grandchildren. She was always tending to others, making sure everyone else was taken care of before considering her own needs. Ma held a special bond with each of her children and treasured her time spent with them. She and Jessie spent time cheering on Mila and Lola at sports and dance recitals, gardening, planting, and admiring beautiful flowers. Kristen spent time traveling and adventuring with Ma. She recalls a memory of taking a three-day survival course in the Texas heat. Ma didn't give up and was the first woman in the class to start a bow and drill fire. They also shared a spiritual connection, often dreaming about the same things and having similar intuitions. Thinh and Ma bonded over food, they enjoyed cooking together, sharing recipes and of course eating her delicious signature dishes. Ma was encouraged by Vuong to get into running, they ran many races over the years and Vuong valued this time with his mom. She would never turn down a challenge and encouraged Vuong to find the most challenging races for them to run together. Thai and Ma loved having movie nights or watching their favorite shows together. One show they enjoyed was Fear Factor and Mom would encourage Thai to try some of the foods that she enjoyed as a child like candied grasshoppers. There wasn't anything Ma wouldn't do for her kids, even trying her hand and sewing clothes and Halloween costumes. Thai loved her Jasmine costume Ma made for her in elementary school. Her role as Ma expanded far beyond her own five children, many of her kids' friends and neighbors came to love her and became an extension of the Tang family!
She was beyond proud to be "Ba" to her seven grandchildren. They brought so much joy to her life, and she loved the time she spent with them, whether it was a family dinner, a quick visit, time spent on holidays or one of the many special outings. She loved to attend their sports and activities and was their biggest (and loudest) supporter. Ba beamed with pride when she spoke of her grandchildren and just like her own children had a special bond with each. She loved to see her grandchildren learning about Vietnamese culture, enjoying food, and learning her language.
To know Ma was to love her; her infectious personality, genuine love for life and generosity attracted so many to her. She loved to surround herself with beautiful things, especially flowers. Her home both inside and outside was filled with plants and flowers. She loved spending hours in her garden and flower beds, enjoying the beauty and harvesting vegetables to cook and share with others. Ma is well known for her love of cooking amazing Vietnamese cuisine. It was more than just food to her, it was a symbol of her culture, a way to bring people together to enjoy a meal and listen to the stories she had to share. The invitations to come get a bowl of Pho were endless and it was not surprising to see her making hundreds of egg rolls on demand.
When Ma wasn't cooking or spending time in her garden, she enjoyed being active and running. She ran hundreds of races over the years and often finished first in her age group. She was proud of her achievements and has an impressive display of medals. She loved that this hobby included extra time spent with her kids who shared her love of running. She loved the Riverbank Run and the North Country Trail run most but wouldn't turn down any race that Vuong invited her to.
Ma's absence leaves a void in the hearts of all who knew her, but her legacy of love and compassion will endure for generations to come.
Please join our family in celebrating her life. In honor of her fun-loving spirit please wear something colorful!
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