Tinh Huynh

Mr. Huỳnh Văn Tịnh, born on December 28, 1939, in Sơn Tịnh, a former district of Quảng Ngãi Province, Vietnam, passed away peacefully on May 5, 2026, at 5:05 p.m., surrounded by the prayers of family, friends, and the Buddhist community. He was 86 years old.

His life was a story of perseverance, sacrifice, courage, compassion, and unwavering determination through some of the most difficult chapters of Vietnamese history.

At only six years old, Tịnh endured the heartbreaking loss of his father, who was blindfolded and taken away by the Viet Minh one night during the French colonial era, never to return. Raised by a widowed mother struggling to provide for her children during wartime, Tịnh learned hardship early in life. By the age of nine or ten, he worked raising cattle for others to help support his family.

Despite the dangers and oppression of the colonial period, he risked his own safety in pursuit of education at a time when literacy among ordinary Vietnamese people was heavily restricted. His determination to learn never faded. After the French left Vietnam in 1954, he attended school and excelled academically, earning scholarships year after year. Through tutoring and hard work, he supported not only himself, but also helped his younger brothers complete high school and college.

Driven by a deep sense of duty to his country, Tịnh attended the South Vietnamese Cadet School and became an officer in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. During this Vietname-American War era, he also served as a professor and educator, sharing knowledge and guiding younger generations. His students admired him not only for his intelligence and discipline, but also for his kindness and integrity.

Following the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, Tịnh spent seven difficult years in a communist "re-education" camp. Even after his release, he and his family continued to endure harassment and hardship under the local authorities. Yet through every challenge, his spirit remained unbroken.

Seeking freedom and a better future for his family, Tịnh escaped Vietnam by sea in 1989 with his second son aboard a small fishing boat carrying thirteen people, eventually reaching Hong Kong as a political refugee. In 1994, he was granted entry into the United States. With the support of his brother and extended family in Pennsylvania, he began rebuilding his life from nothing once again. He worked humbly and tirelessly in fast food restaurants and nursing homes to provide for his family and create opportunities for future generations.

In 2001, he moved with family to Minnesota, where he continued to build a peaceful and loving home. Above all else, Tịnh was a devoted father, grandfather, brother, teacher, and friend who believed deeply in education, perseverance, dignity, and family.

Outside of work and family, Tịnh found joy in life's simple blessings. He loved gardening, traveling, and spending hours talking and laughing with friends. Yet perhaps the greatest reflection of his character was his generosity and compassion toward others, especially struggling relatives and poor families in Vietnam.

No matter how little he had for himself, he always gave freely to those in need. It was often said that he rarely carried more than fifty dollars in his pocket because he would give away whatever he had to help others. To him, kindness and generosity were more valuable than money.

Throughout the years, many of his former students remained deeply grateful for the guidance and kindness he had shown them. During visits back to Vietnam, former students would warmly welcome him, organize reunions, offer him pocket money, send drivers to accompany him, and invite him to stay at their homes and vacation properties. The respect and love they showed him were a reflection of the lasting impact he had on countless lives as both a teacher and mentor.

He is survived by his children: three sons and one daughter. He was preceded in death by his eldest son, who passed away at the young age of 25 - a loss he carried quietly in his heart throughout his life.

In 2022, Tịnh was diagnosed with liver cancer. Even through surgeries, radiation, chemotherapy, and physical decline, he continued to fight courageously. After surgery, he was even able to travel and enjoy precious moments with loved ones. When treatments eventually failed and no further effective options remained, he still never gave up hope or his will to live.

On May 5, 2026, he departed this world peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, sacrifice, wisdom, generosity, and unconditional love.

Though his journey was marked by struggles, his life was a testament to strength, endurance, humility, and compassion. His family and all who knew him will forever remember his courage, kindness, wisdom, and unwavering devotion to those he loved.

With sincere prayers from family, friends, and the Buddhist community, we wish for Tịnh to continue following the teachings of the Đại Kinh Sukhāvatīvyūha (Đại Kinh A-Di-Đà) and the path of Dharmākara Buddha (Đức Phật A Di Đà), guiding him toward rebirth into Sukhāvatī - the Pure Land (Cực Lạc Tịnh Độ). In Buddhist tradition, Sukhāvatī is a realm of peace, compassion, and enlightenment created to welcome departed souls, free them from suffering, and guide them toward everlasting serenity and spiritual awakening.

May he now journey peacefully into the Sukhāvatī, embraced by boundless light, compassion, and tranquility.

Prayers will be held from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home, 5421 Royal Place NW, Rochester, MN, with visitation following prayers from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Huynh family.