By Rebecca Goodman
Enquirer staff writer

EDGEWOOD - Khau Thi Nguyen fled Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) with six members of her family in 1976, the year after U.S. troops vacated and communist troops marched into the South Vietnamese city.

"The Viet Cong come and we not freedom," said her daughter Suu Thi Dang of Covington, explaining why her family left. "We get out because we need freedom. We come here."

So Mrs. Nguyen, then a 76-year-old widow and grandmother who spoke no English, followed her relatives to Northern Kentucky, where she enjoyed freedom for nearly three decades.

The Edgewood resident died July 15 at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South. She was 104.

Mrs. Nguyen was born in Quang Binh province - situated at the narrowest part of central Vietnam - in 1900. At the time, all of Vietnam was a French colony. When Germany invaded France during World War II, the Japanese took control of her homeland.

After the war, the communist Ho Chi Minh demanded Vietnamese sovereignty, while France wished to have its colony back. In 1954 France withdrew from Vietnam and it was divided into two countries - North and South Vietnam.

Mrs. Nguyen and her family were living in Saigon when the United States committed to defending South Vietnam against the communists in the late 1950s.

The resulting war ended with the American withdrawal in 1975. Shortly before that, Mrs. Nguyen's husband, Tri Van Dang, fell sick and died.

Vietnam was reunited under communism, but many former South Vietnamese were not happy. For several years, they left by the boatload.

Mrs. Nguyen decided to make the arduous trip with her family to a new life in the United States. They chose Northern Kentucky because they had relatives living here.

Mrs. Nguyen kept house and watched after the family's children while they built their new life. She never learned to speak English, but attended Mass at St. Agnes Church in Fort Wright. She also enjoyed watching TV. She saw her family achieve success here - several of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren graduated from college.

"She liked it here very much," her daughter said.

Mrs. Nguyen never returned to her homeland. She left two sons in Asia - one of whom she never saw again.

In addition to her daughter, survivors include two sons, Dan Van Dang of Da Nang, Vietnam, and Phung Van Dang of Bangkok, Thailand; 22 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.

Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Friday at Stith Funeral Home, 7500 U.S. 42 in Florence.

Mass of Christian burial is 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Henry Church, 3813 Dixie Highway, Elsmere. Burial will be at St. Mary Cemetery in Fort Mitchell.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com