Hung Manh Duong

Hung Manh Duong, 68, passed peacefully at home in Knoxville, Tennessee on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. He was surrounded by his wife of 38 years, two daughters, son-in-law, two grandsons, and close relatives and friends through his final days. Hung was born in Vinh Phuc Yen near Hanoi on February 2, 1954, the same year his parents left North Vietnam at the end of French occupation and resettled the family to Saigon in the South. He graduated from the police academy, ranking as Second Lieutenant Central Intelligence Officer during his service in the war from 1972-75. Following the fall of Saigon to the Vietnamese Communist Party in 1975, Hung was taken as a prisoner of war to various camps until 1983. There, a fellow prisoner acquainted him with his future wife, Nguyen Tiet Trung. The two exchanged handwritten letters without ever meeting until his release. After 8 years of imprisonment under the Communist government, he was released and immediately went to meet her for the first time. The two married on January 14, 1984, welcoming their first born daughter, My Quyen Tiet Duong, later that year. One decade after release, they, along with newborn daughter of 13 months, Nhu Quynh Duong, came to the United States through the Orderly Departure Program sponsored by the US government. He resettled and reunited with his brothers, Thanh C. Duong and Nam Son Duong, who had escaped Vietnam earlier, in Knoxville. In October 2021, Hung was diagnosed with liposarcoma and embarked on one more battle. Beginning a new life in America, Hung worked very hard for his wife and family, leading loved ones by example of great compassion, selflessness, unconditional love, and unshakeable willpower. He was ông (grandfather), bác (uncle), and a father figure to many. An avid gardener and fisherman, he was always giving away his bounties to others. After years of a remarkable and honorable life, he looked forward to the simple things like picking up his grandsons from school. In addition to the immediate family, Hung is survived by 10 brothers and sisters and many more nieces, nephews, and in-laws. The family will be holding a private memorial at a future date. In lieu of flowers, friends of Hung and the Duong family may send honorary contributions to Bridge Refugee Services, where Hung worked from 1998-2002 assisting countless fellow immigrants adjust to new American life, or a charity of their choice. Friends, relatives, and family will feel his loss greatly. Funeral Arrangements by Mynatt Funeral Home Halls Chapel www.mynattfh.com.