According to Shanghai Morning Post, the family's socio-defendant noted that Mr. Do Ho Tran (Du Huzhen) passed away at his home in Guizhou Province (China) on March 8. Before passing away, this hundred-year-old woman held an old pillowcase that she had used since getting married in 1940.
Mrs. Do is three years older than her husband, Hoang Tuan Phu. Right after getting married, Mr. Hoang joined the army.
In 1943, she lived with him for a while until she became pregnant and returned home alone.
She gave birth to her son, Hoang Phat Xuong, in January 1944 A few days after his son was born, Mr. Hoang returned home to arrange his mother's funeral.
Not long after, he left home and never returned. The last letter was written by him on January 15, 1952.
"For Phat Xuong's education, no matter how poor his family is, he has to attach importance to his children's education. The family will definitely have a day to reunite, Mr. Hoang wrote in the letter.
The documents Mr. Hoang used showed that he was working at a Chinese construction company in Malaysia.
During her husband's absence, Mrs. Do supported the family by working in the fields during the day and weaving straw sandals and fabric in the evening. She refused other proposals and said, "What if he came back one day? ".
Her niece, Hoang Le Anh, said: "My grandmother was illiterate and she lived a difficult life, but she was always optimistic.
She told my father and siblings to study hard, grow up and contribute to the country and society.
At the end of the 1970s, Mr. Hoang Phat Xuong became a high school teacher. He passed away in 2022.
According to some documents of Tuan Nghia district ( guizhou, China), Mr. Hoang Tuan Phu settled in Malaysia in 1950, before moving to Singapore a few years later. The authorities said they had no further information about him.
The family said that they tried many ways to search for Mr. Hoang Tuan Phu, including posting them in newspapers and hiring foreign companies, but all were ineffective.
Hoang Le Anh's niece said that Mrs. Do seemed very calm when she passed away. It seems that she has seen the prospect of reunion with her husband. She said that the family will continue to fulfill Mrs. Do's wish and try to find Mr. Hoang Tuan Phu and his children and grandchildren.
