Thuy An TonThat

Thuy An Ton That (née Thuy Thi Nguyen) passed away peacefully of natural causes on May 10, 2025, in Needham, Massachusetts, surrounded by her loving family. She was 92 years old.

Thuy was born on March 3, 1933, in Nghe An, a coastal province in central Vietnam, to Dang Thi Nghi and Nguyen Canh Loc. A woman of intellect and grace, she pursued higher education in Paris where she met her first husband, Ton That An. Their life together followed the rhythm of diplomacy, taking them from Saigon to Thailand, France, London, and Myanmar.

In Vietnam, Thuy dedicated her life to social causes, working with the Diplomatic Corps, the American Embassy, and Catholic Relief Services. With First Lady Thieu she helped to establish the Vietnamese Women’s Association for Social Services and served on the Hospital Board of Directors for Vi Dan (a non-profit hospital for the poor). Thuy participated in the first Vietnamese delegation to the US followed by trips to Italy, Germany , UK, South Korea and Taiwan.

In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Thuy and her family resettled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In April 1976 they opened the Rendez-Vous restaurant in Harvard Square, believed to be the first Vietnamese-owned restaurant in the Boston area, followed by Hen Ho Restaurant on Newbury St. Her dedication and entrepreneurial spirit led her to open additional restaurants in Massachusetts, and later, in Montreal, Canada, where she reconnected with and married her longtime friend, Dinh Trinh Chinh.

Thuy’s years in Montreal were marked by a deep love of the French language, her vibrant culinary work, and close relationships with Chinh’s extended family. After his passing in 2005, she returned to the United States to be closer to her children and grandchildren. Her final decades were filled with travel, family gatherings, and cherished moments with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Thuy was predeceased by her son Tran Tien Tuan Minh, her sister, Nguyen Thi Doan; her daughter, Ton Nu Phuong Chi Veronica; her stepson, Dinh Vu Thanh; and her husband, Dinh Chin Trinh.

She is survived by her daughter, Ton Nu Phuong Thao Theresa; her sons, Ton That Nhan Paul (Trish Appert) and Ton That Chan John (Julie Farmer); and her stepchildren: Dinh My Van (Georges Robic), Dinh My Hoa (David Williams), Dinh Vu Hao (Lisanne Blanchette), Dinh My Ngoc (Luong Minh Tuan), and Dinh Vu Hung (Nguyen Kim Quyen), half-brother Nguyen Canh Phuoc, and nieces and nephews : Tran Thi Nhu Chi Minh (Nguyen Duong Hao), Tran Tien Quang Minh, Tran Tien Hoang Minh, Tran Tien Nghiem Minh, Tran Thi Nhu Binh Minh (Truong Long Van), Tran Tien Cong Minh (Nguyen Thi Thai Ha).

She is lovingly remembered by her grandchildren: Phuong Anh Rachel Ton That, Phuong Lan Rebekah Ton That, Jonathan Ton That, Jessica Ton That, Lucy Lien Ton That, Mylene & Joel Dinh-Robic (Karyne); Le-Anh & Parker Dinh-Williams; David Blanchette Dinh (Ariadna); Ethan & Chloe Dinh-Luong; Madison, Sydney & Cameron Dinh; and Yolaine (Peter) & Katherine Williams.

Her legacy lives on in her great-grandchildren: Elenore & Edouard Brewer, Elizabeth & Rebecca Robic, Angel & Enzo Blanchette Dinh, Henri & Anna Shams, and Declan Williams.

Visitation will be held Sunday, May 18, 2025 from 1 to 2 pm at the Folsom Funeral Home, 649 High Street, Westwood followed by  a funeral service at 2 pm.