(Maria Bernadette) Thi Thi Dao

Maria Bernadette Thi Thi Dao passed peacefully from this life at the age of 92 to join her Lord and Savior on Monday, July 19, 2021, while surrounded by loved ones at her home in New Market, Maryland. She is survived by her devoted and caring family: her husband, Ninh Quy Dao, her 9 children, 15 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren.

Born on January 1, 1929, in Hanoi, Vietnam, Thi embarked on a life that saw great strife and even greater joys. She learned how to speak the French language, cook French dishes, knit, and crochet all while finishing high school. When Thi was 16 years old, her father, Ta Dinh Xuan passed away. About 9 years later, in 1954, Thi fled from North Vietnam to Saigon City with her mother, Nguyen Thi Tho, and her younger brother, Ta Dinh Viet, who passed in May 2016 in Bowie, Maryland. On the night of April 29, 1975, Thi fled Vietnam with her husband, Ninh, and 9 of their children. The family followed the flow of Vietnamese refugees to The United States of America and forged a new beginning. All 12 members of Thi’s family, including her brother Viet, were immensely fortunate to be sponsored by the family of Lieutenant Colonel John Schaffer upon arrival to the U.S. Years later, Thi became a factory worker at EG&G Pressure Science, Inc for 12 years.

First and foremost, Thi was a mother, wife, sister, and the very best chef anyone ever knew. Thi’s most precious gift to the world was her profound sense of kindness, care, and love for others, including strangers; she was a generous host to ALL! She possessed an unparalleled ability to put others before herself, and always showed compassion and empathy to those in need. Thi was the heart and backbone of her family, exuding calmness, a pragmatic approach, and wisdom through the most difficult of situations; she cared for and supported each and every member of the family with great attention to detail. She spread her love through hand-knitted/crocheted gifts and incredible culinary feasts. Thi was an avid writer of letters and enjoyed listening to music and watching classic movies, especially love stories. She was a remarkable storyteller, who eagerly shared vivid and colorful memories of her life as a youth in Hanoi, and her adult life in Saigon, Vietnam.

While Thi will be greatly missed, her loving spirit lives on in her family, and we celebrate her life and the beauty of all that she touched.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, July 31, 2021 from 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church, 4103 Prices Distillery Road Ijamsville, MD 21754.  A Mass will follow at the church at 12:30 p.m. Father Mike Jendrek will officiate. Interment private.

Her family sends a special thank you to the staff at the Frederick Health Hospice, the caregivers, and the nurses for their dedication to caring and comforting our beloved mom for the past 5 months.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in our mother’s name, Maria Bernadette Thi Thi Dao, to Frederick Health Hospice. https:// www.frederickhealthhospice.org/