May 18, 1935 – September 30, 2021
With heartfelt profound sadness, our family announces the peaceful passing of Dr. Boi Ngoc Thi Hoang, dedicated & loving wife of 48 years to the late Dr. Hang Viet Dinh, paternal granddaughter of social activist & playwright Hoang Tang Bi & Cao Thi Thuyen, maternal granddaughter of Nguyen Thi Oa & Dr. Nguyen Nghia (personal physician (y sĩ or Medecin Indochine) to Emperors Khai Dinh & Bao Dai in childhood) , daughter of Hoang Dung Huyen & Nguyen Thi Nhu, and niece of Dr. Nguyen Than (her “second father”).
Mom lost her father at age 3.5 years & was raised by her maternal grandparents & mother in Hue, Vietnam. Despite many potential distractions to veer her off her path, she never wavered in focus to become a physician which was inspired after witnessing, at age 5 years, her grandfather drain an ill boy’s abscess & he became immediately better afterwards. This inspiration was later supplemented by her deep sense of spirituality through her Mahayana Buddhist teachings.
She graduated top of her medical school class at the University of Saigon in 1963 where she’d met dad during her surgical thesis defence & oral exams. Mom was only 1 of 2 women to complete the mostly male-comprised (at that time) General Surgery residency program at Saigon’s Cho Ray Hospital.
After immigrating to Windsor, ON in 1969 during a physician shortage, she had to restart as an intern at Windsor’s Metropolitan Hospital and completed her Canadian Obstetrics & Gynaecology residency training at Hamilton’s McMaster University program in 1977.
There was hardly ever a quick visit at her 53 Augusta St. office in Hamilton, as administrative assistants Shirley, Moira, Hong & those in the waiting room can attest. She’d calmly take the time to listen to more than 1 problem per person. All patients received her full attention & best effort to provide detailed compassionate care, instructions, & discussions about concerns. Mom’s sense of joy & purpose – what she called her Mission – was to bring life into the world via birth deliveries or tubal ligation reversals (with dad assisting) and to relieve suffering through her Gynaecology care, on top of being a loving devoted wife, mother, sister, and aunt.
In her later years , she never stopped trying to learn & attended both Thien Tanh Khong Ontario Meditation seminars whenever possible & McMaster’s Obstetrics & Gynaecology grand rounds and several medical continuing education conferences , while also maintaining her gynaecology practice.
Her medical service to our diverse community spanned 57 years (on some occasions caring for 2-3 generations of the same family at 1 office visit), including safely providing in-person office gynaecology care through the pandemic until mid-October 2020.
Mom’s sense of life balanced groundedness & lighthearted humour was nurtured by maintaining her meaningful longterm loyal friendships with fellow Dong Khanh high school classmates from Hue. These were 75 year connections which she cherished, never took for granted, & was re-invigorated by at many reunions & get togethers.
With our deepest, warmest loving hug & a kiss to the forehead, we send you now to the Other Shore. Your Mission of altruistic spacious kindness here is now complete and a new journey begins.
Gate , gate , paragate , parasamgate , bodhi svaha. (Gone, gone, gone all the way over, everyone gone to the Other Shore. Enlightenment ! )
Ngoc, or Pearl as some would call her, is survived by her son Tuan Trong Dinh , sister-in-law Hien Thi Pham Hoang, and niece Tracy Thuc Hien Hoang and predeceased by her younger brother Dr. Ham Hai Hoang.
Our family would like to express our utmost gratitude for the kind compassionate care that mom received to Dr. John Neary (notably), Dr. Madeleine Verhovsek, Dr. Daniel “Gene Kelly” Brandt Vegas , Dr. Anne Boyle and the Internal Medicine Team C doctors and the nurses, RPN’s, PSW’s, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, pharmacist, nutrition services staff, and cleaning staff of CTU North at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
A Celebration of Life will be held on mom’s birthday May 18, 2022 : Its location to be announced in the first week of April, both on the Turner Family Funeral Home website and in the Hamilton Spectator newspaper.
In lieu of flowers, mom wished that donations please be sent to Huong Dam Buddhist Temple on Brucedale Ave. in Hamilton, Mission Services of Hamilton, Salvation Army Food Bank in Dundas or your local food bank to aid single parent families like her’s, those families in need, and the homeless.
*THERE IS NO ACCESS FROM KING ST. W. (DUNDAS) TO THE GOLF CLUB. ONLY FROM HIGHWAY 5 AND BROCK ROAD*
Our thoughts and prayers are are with you at this time and always.?❤️
Dr. Hoang was like family to me and she will be missed dearly by both of us
Shirley and Peter
Dear Tuan,
Our deepest sympathy and prayers to you and family during this difficult time.
Your mother was a remarkable doctor, and will be greatly missed by all of us.
Bach-Truc Do and family
So sorry to hear about the passing of dr Hoang
I was a nurse on labour and delivery and always loved working with her
She was a wonderful kind person and loved by all
Rest In Peace
I was a patient of Dr. Hoang’s over thirty years ago and I will never forget her kindness in the office and her skill as a surgeon. I had a bone density scan twenty five years after my hysterectomy and the technician commented that I must have had a very skilled surgeon to have performed such a “beautiful” operation and added, “by far the best I’ve ever seen.” Dr. Hoang was thoughtful and supportive and it is fitting she lived a long and very successful life.
Thirty-seven years ago Dr. Hoang enriched my life through her care and commitment as an OB-Gyn. I remember all these years later how highly regarded she was by the staff at McMaster Medical. My husband and I will always be grateful for the safe delivery of our daughter. I would like to extend my sincerest condolences to your family. I’m sure she will be missed by many whose lives she touched.
Thank you for the wonderful care you gave me and my baby 43 years ago. I will always remember how you never made me feel rushed each time I had an appointment, you always put my fears to rest by the time I left. I will remember your easy manner and gentle voice.
I was a patient of Dr. Hoang’s twenty-nine years ago. Her quiet, caring manner was such a blessing at a stressful time. Her kindness and compassion will never be forgotten.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family…. our memories are a diary that we carry with us through the difficult times.
So sorry to hear about your loss. I’ll always remember her as a kind and thoughtful person with a gentle sense of humour. May you be comforted by your memories.
To a loving and caring person, physician and friend. Have a peaceful and restful journey in your next chapter of life, you sure deserve it.
A warm, compassionate and professional person is how I describe Dr. Hoang. I worked with her on Labour and Delivery at McMaster Medical Centre. Always having a smile and a little giggle as she silently stepped among us at the nursing station. My condolences to all her family and thank you for sharing her with her colleagues.
I will be forever grateful to this amazing woman. She never gave up on helping me getting pregnant, even when I gave up myself. Thank you to her love, support and encouragement, I now have two incredible boys. Dr. Hoang I feel so blessed to have had you in my life for as long as I did. You will be greatly missed!! ❤️
Dear Tuan,
We are so sorry for your loss. Your mother was such a lovely woman, and a great neighbour. We are sorry she is no longer with you. We know she’ll be missed. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help in this difficult time.
Wayne & Patricia Taylor
I had the great fortune to be a patient of Dr. Hoang. She truly always took time to be caring, thorough and friendly. I offer my condolences.
Our deepest sympathies to you and your families. ??
I was very saddened to read of Dr. Hoang’s passing. I have been her patient for over thirty nine years and I feel like I have lost a very dear friend. Such a kind and efficient doctor. Condolences to her family and all that knew her. We have lost a very special person indeed!
Our deepest sympathy to Tuan.
Dr. Hoang was a great doctor, she look after me and deliver my 2 children.
What a wonderful doctor.
She bring joy to our family.
She always be missed.
Dr. Hoang was one of the most gentle, caring, and compassionate women I have ever met. She will be greatly missed. Thinking of her family, friends, and anyone who had the privilege to have known her.
Condolences to the family. I worked with Dr Hoang at McMaster and she also delivered both of my sons. She was a wonderful, caring, kind physician and person who was respectful to all. A true light and blessing to the world. What a great loss.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you Tuan. Your mother delivered my daughter, which was not an easy delivery. If it wasn’t for her I am sure it would have been a C-section. She was indeed a very talented and caring physician. She looked after many of my patients who spoke nothing but compliments about her care. I also had the pleasure of working with you dad who also was an example of an excellent and caring physician.
I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Hoang, many years ago, when I was doing deliveries at MUMC. She was a true bodhisattva.
Tuan, our family is very sorry for your deep loss. Our Dad, Robert Maudsley, was very fond of your Mom both as a physician and as a lovely person.
We are thinking of you, Ruth, Kathryn, Rob and Mary K. Maudsley
My deepest condolences on the loss of your mother. Dr. Hoang was my gynaecologist for over thirty years. I feel fortunate to have been her patient. Your mother was the most gentle,kind,understanding doctor. I will miss her very much. May she rest in peace.
I met Dr. Hoang in July 1974 at the Henderson Hospital where I started my nursing career on ward 3 maternity.I became a patient in 1992 when I was expecting my second child. DR oang was a kind, respected physician who delivered thorough care to all. My sincerest condolences to her son and
all of her family.Rest in peace sweet lady.
So sorry to hear of the passing of Dr. Hoang. She was always very keen to attend the Obs/Gyn Grand Rounds to keep up, even in the last few years before Covid.
She will be sorely missed by family, friends, colleagues and thousands of patients.
Dr. Hoang will be greatly missed. I have wonderful memories of being taught by her when I was a resident. She had such a gentle demeanour and a lovely laugh. When I think of her, I smile. My deepest sympathy to her family.
Dr.Hoang was the wisest, smartest woman I have known. I am thankful I got to know her and I truly miss her.
Tuan, so sorry to hear of the passing of your mother.I hope the wonderful memories she created will give you comfort during this time.
I was a patient of Dr Hoang’s she let my mother take my appointment one day as my mother had something concerning to be looked at. We found out it was cancer. We loved Dr. Hoang, she was special, kind and understanding. I will never forget her. Our Deepest Condolences to the family. May she rest in eternal peace.
Dr. Hoang was an amazing Doctor.She delivered all my children and was wonderful to me. You will be greatly missed.
Godspeed Dr. Hoang. I will miss your thoughtful and caring medical advice. Rest In Peace.