Thomas’s mother Thongyoon “Yoon” Vette, passed away on December 17, 2011 at age 66 due to failed health at Rideout Memorial Hospital with her devoted husband at her side.
She was born on December 7, 1945 in Buri Ram Province in Thailand where she grew up. In 1972, Yoon went out with some friends to a bar Thomas’s friend owned in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, where she met and connected with Thomas Leroy Vette. Thomas was on his third voluntary tour during the Vietnam War; he was stationed at Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base. In 1973, when his tour was over, he asked Yoon to marry him and brought her and her son Ruji, almost 2-years-old, back to the United States to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
On March 27, 1974, Thomas Vette and Thongyoon “Yoon” Vette were married in Xenia, Ohio. Thomas’s favorite story about Yoon’s first time in the United States was when she saw snow for the first time. Three days after Yoon came to the United States it snowed 6-inches in one day, something she had never experienced before. Shortly after their wedding, Thomas left for his fourth voluntary tour for the Vietnam War, while Yoon stayed in the United States to spend time with Thomas’s mother. In 1975, soon after Thomas returned from his tour, they moved to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi to start a family. On November 10, 1975, soon after they moved, Yoon and Thomas were the proud parents of Lawrence Daniel Vette. On September 29, 1976, Yoon gave birth to their third son, Thomas Yoon Vette. Then in 1983, the whole family moved to Beale Air Force Base in California, where they later settled in Olivehurst in 1987, a year before Thomas retired from his service with the United States Air Force. In 1995, Yoon became a proud United States citizen and worked hard until her retirement in 2004.
Yoon touched the lives of many people with her kind spirit, love for her culture, generosity with the amazing food she cooked, and her incredible green thumb. Yoon could grow anything and she loved her plants, the garden area, and Koi pond she and her husband created.
She is survived by her loving husband of 37 years, Thomas Vette of Olivehusrt, CA. Her three sons Ruji Vette and long time companion Luz Tabotabo of Sacramento, CA; Lawrence Daniel Vette and wife Ashley of Yuba City, CA; Thomas Yoon Vette and wife April of Rocklin, CA. Her five grandchildren Teresa Tabotabo, John Elliot Tabotabo, Zoe Cadran, Nicole Amber Vette, Tommi Blu Vette and Andie Kathryn Vette. She will be loved and missed by many other family members and friends.
This was written with the help and information gathered from Thomas, son Thomas, and Ashley’s written obituary.
