An Thi Tran
An Thi Tran
An Thi Tran died peacefully at home on July 14, 2024, of complications from cancer.
An was born on August 21, 1981 in Santa Ana, Calif., and grew up in nearby Irvine. An’s childhood loves were her family, music, and school.
An’s parents instilled in her a sense of love for, and duty to, family. Her childhood was marked by the arrival of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, whom her parents sponsored to the United States after fleeing Vietnam in the 1970’s. Thus, An’s local extended family grew in size during her childhood, eventually becoming a large support network. An grew up understanding how fortunate she was to be born in the United States, where so many opportunities were open to her.
An loved music, with one friend describing is as a balm. Her primary instrument was the piano, for which she received classical training. She also played the violin in her school orchestra. An approached music the same rigor that she approached her schoolwork: she strived for excellence and put in the work to achieve it.
An was an outstanding student and loved learning. She frequently told her family stories about her favorite teachers and assignments. In high school she took-on a demanding courseload, participated in student government, and volunteered at Irvine Medical Center and a local senior center. Her high school friends describe her as driven, dedicated, and reliable.
After graduating from University High School in Irvine, An studied human biology, with a focus in adolescent development, at Stanford University. An liked to say that she majored in teenagers. Beyond coursework, An worked in research labs and volunteered in the community. In all of her endeavors An earned a reputation for responsibility, maturity, and dependability.
It was in college that An met her husband, Jeff. They met on move-in today at their freshman dorm and had dinner together their first evening. It was the opposite of romantic: it was an academic advising dinner. Nevertheless, An began to make Jeff’s dorm room one of her favorite study locations, and Jeff didn’t seem to mind. After no shortage of encouragement from their friends, An and Jeff began dating their junior year of college. They enjoyed many of the same things they enjoyed later in their relationship: spending time together in nature, touring cities, and with friends and family.
After college, An served two years in the Americorps VISTA program. Her focus area was K-12 education, working with the Orange County, California Department of Education in her first year, and then as an Americorps VISTA leader with Youth Service California in Oakland her second year. After her Americorps experience, An pursued a career in fundraising for K-12 and higher education, beginning at Eastside College Preparatory School in East Palo Alto, California. Eastside College Prep was then a fledgling private school focused on educating underserved youth, and An jumped in with enthusiasm to help the school succeed.
An moved to Seattle in 2007 and worked for several years at Lakeside School, where she managed the annual fund, which among other things supported student financial aid. She developed close bonds with her colleagues there and supervised the orienteering club, where she got to know many students. In supervising the club, An got hooked on orienteering as a hobby, and later enjoyed it with her children. An continued to pursue her career at University Prep before moving to higher education, first at Seattle Pacific University and then at the University of Washington, where she held roles on the regional advancement team as well as at UW Medicine supporting the ophthalmology department. At SPU and in her regional role at UW, An had the opportunity to travel along the West Coast to meet and develop relationships with donors. An loved people, and as someone who would describe herself as “an old soul,” she was at home conversing with donors, who as a group tended to be older adults. An will be remembered professionally for her diligence, commitment, and creativity.
An and Jeff married in 2008 and settled in the Seattle area, living mostly in Kirkland. As a partner, An was devoted to Jeff. They enjoyed hiking, reading, music, travel, and spending time with friends and family. She enjoyed learning to live her best Northwest life, hiking to alpine lakes, picking berries at local farms, rollerblading around Green Lake, enjoying outdoor activities in the rain, and even taking a ski lesson. She never did enjoy driving in the snow.
With the birth of her first child in 2011, An began a new vocation: motherhood. In time, An became mother to three kids. She loved them fiercely and unconditionally. In her last days, An’s unfiltered thoughts centered on the well-being of her children. An volunteered in her children’s classrooms, including teaching kids about Tết, the Vietnamese celebration of the lunar new year. She organized their summer camp schedules with a color-coded spreadsheet. She volunteered to lead Sunday School classes. She read to them, bathed them, fed them, drove them to activities, organized birthday parties and play dates, encouraged them in their studies, and generally did everything in her power to give them a strong foundation for life.
As a wife, partner, sister, daughter, friend, and mother, An will be remembered for her generosity of spirit, desire for justice, and deep love for her family.
An is preceded in death by her father, Hop Tran. She is survived by her mother, Joan (Nguyen) Tran of Tustin, Calif.; siblings Vi Tran of New York, NY, Kim Tran of Santa Rosa, Calif., and Vince Tran of New York, NY; husband, Jeffrey Churchill and children, Elizabeth, John, and Marian Churchill of Kirkland, Wash.; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A memorial service will be held July 27, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 10021 NE 124th St., Kirkland, WA. All are invited. In lieu of flowers, An’s family encourages donations to Global Refuge to help a new generation of refugees make a home in the United States, or to organizations that support K-12 education.
34 Responses to “An Thi Tran”
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I am devastated to hear of your loss. My prayers are with your family and beautiful children. She has a beautiful soul that was felt by everyone in her presence. May peace and love surround you in your grief.
I worked with An at Eastside College Preparatory School and continued to see her when she made trips to the Bay Area. A was such a hardworking co-worker and ALWAYS had that beautiful smile on her face. I have such fond memories of her and will keep them with me always!
A was a wonderful colleague at Lakeside School. I have missed her since she left, and the news of her passing hit me hard. I am currently battling the scourge that is cancer, and it seems completely unfair that it took Ann so young. My condolences to An’s family and friends.
An will be missed dearly by all. I enjoyed being in Sunday school classes alongside An helping with the children. She was always kind, sweet, and gentle with the children. She was and will continue to be in spirit truly a blessing to our faith community. Sending my love and condolences.
There is One Thing That I Think Of First of AN ~
HUGE SMILE.
An had a smile that completely lit up a room, and came
from her HEART. Her sweet heart and nature are a rarity in life.
Her kindness showed through in every way.
Peace be with All Who Lost Her.
Dear Jeff,
I am heartbroken to hear this news. My thoughts are with you and I’m sending love and strength to you and your family.
XO, Cheri
I had the great fortune that An said “yes” to working at Lakeside School. We were close colleagues for seven years. I learned so much from her diligence, caring, and tireless work on behalf of the students. I followed her fundraising path with interest. I watched her family grow and enjoyed hearing of their adventures. My heart is heavy to think of not being able to see her bright smile again. Sending great love to her family to ease your grieving hearts.💕
Dear Jeff,
Please accept my deep condolences for the loss of your beloved wife. An and I partnered on donor relationships in the Bay Area while at UW. I’m going to mail you a beautiful photo of An from a gathering in SF during which we raised money for skin cancer. She was a wonderful colleague and friend, and she will be missed by those who had the privilege of knowing her. It may seem impossible, but remember to take care of yourself during this time.
With the deepest condolences to the Churchill family.
An was a sweet quiet presence. I am so sad for your family. God hold you all and bless you with strength, comfort and warm memories.
Mary Dwinell
I am so sorry for your loss. I first became acquainted with An when teaching Marian’s Sunday school class. An was always smiling, friendly and willing to help in any way possible.
Her gifts of love and grace will be sorely missed at HSLC and beyond.
Thinking of the family with love,
Kris Isaacson
I am deeply sorry for your loss. An was a wonderful friend and colleague to so many of us at UW Medicine Advancement, and she will be very much missed. I wish I had had more time to get to know her, but I can tell from this tribute how loved and admired she was by everyone who knew her.
Jeff, You and your children are so fortunate to have had such a nurturing partner and parent. May her love for you all feel close and strong always. Know that your circle of support is also close, strong, and expansive.
An demonstrated the best of human character and generosity of spirit. Her gentle presence created a safe place for all of us to learn and practice love, justice, and peace.
She will be missed. Her courageous battle is over, and enduring love is her legacy. Thanks be to God!
May everyone who loved An — and especially Jeff, Elizabeth, John, and Marian — be surrounded by every kind of mercy, grace, comfort, and love. May you be sustained, and may you always sense An’s loving presence in every day to come.
Estimado Jeff, estamos muy tristes por la partida de An, desde la distancia enviamos nuestras condolencias para ti y familia. Que nuestras oraciones te den la fortaleza para que puedas seguir entregando amor y protección a tus hijos en ausencia de An.
Mucha paz y amor para ti y familia.
Adriana, Victor, Sandra y Abuelita Adriana
A was a treasured team mate at Seattle Pacific University. She always brought such a cheerful disposition to her work with colleagues and donors, and was truly a servant leader-always willing to help in any way she could. Beyond her kindness and incredible aptitude, she was a brilliant young woman and mother. I am so very sorry for your loss, Jeff. May grace and mercy comfort you and your family in the days and months ahead.
With sympathy, Kathie
Jeff, I’m so heartbroken to hear of your loss. Her life story is so inspiring with her dedication to making this world a better place and her love for you and your kids and your extended families. In these moments, when there are no words, know that the ones we love remain beside us, now and always.
Jeff, I worked with An over many years during her time at Stanford and we haven’t stayed in touch, but I remember her with deep affection. She was fierce and hard working and committed. I am so sorry. May you find some small comfort in powerful memories. She did so much with her short time on this earth.
Elizabeth, John, and Marian — your mother was an amazing woman who made everything she touched better. Many of us loved her and are so sad for your immense loss.
I am so sorry for your loss. An was a lovely person to work with at UW, helping successfully connect me to donations to help prevent blindness in premature babies. The connections she forged were lasting and important, mutually beneficial to folks who really want to make an impact, and research that matters. She was positive and proactive, and made some great interpersonal connections here. I didn’t realize she was a Stanford grad (me too!) and it makes sense – An was such an organized and smart person. She will be missed.
An will be deeply missed by her friends and colleagues here in the Department of Ophthalmology. Her love for people and her deep passion to bring about positive change made a difference for all those she worked with and the lives she helped improve.
Sending every ounce of peace and love to An’s babies for they have been on my mind. She and I bonded over the fact that we had three children and the seemingly impossible balance of motherhood and career. Unlike me, she never seemed frazzled by it all; she had a quiet confidence that I admire to this day. We only worked together a short time, but we stretched and grew a lot. I will always remember An for her unfailing grace.
I was another member of the Development Office team that worked with An during her time at Lakeside School. She was a pleasure to know and an inspiration to partner with. Several in our office describe her as “our best Annual Fund Director ever.”
I am shocked and saddened to hear of her passing, particularly at such a young age. My sincere condolences go to her family,,,She will be missed by many.
It with deep sadness that I learned of An’s passing at such a tragically young age. I had the privilege and honor of working with her in the Development Office at Lakeside School, and she was a wonderful colleague, devoted to her work and brilliant at it, and a lovely, kind, caring human being. She will not be forgotten and dearly missed. Bless the family and all who loved her.
Jeff and family,
So sad to hear about An’s passing. May God’s love surround you in your grief and may your memories keep An’s memory alive in your hearts forever.
Bev Walker
I was so sorry to see the obituary in the Seattle Times! I overlapped at Lakeside School for a number years with An as a colleague, and just enjoyed her so much. Her smile, her love of nature, our fun conversations over lunch and her dedication to her work were all exemplary. As an alum of the school, I also loved what a great job she did running the alumni fund. I am so sorry for your loss, and want you to know that she touched many many lives in her all too brief life.
My heart is with you all. I am so sorry for your loss. An was such a kind person to me, always. She truly handled everything with grace. That grace and kindness really shines through your beautiful family. May she rest in paradise, and may peace and love surround you all in your grief. Please give the kiddos a big hug from Ms. Heidi 🤍
Dear Jeff and family:
We are very sorry for the loss of An. Although we did not meet her in person, we can see the love and dedication she had towards you and your children. May God comfort your heart and give you the peace you need these days. 🤍
With love,
Javier and Fernanda
I was so sad to see this in our high school Facebook group. An was in my AP chemistry and honors English class with Mrs. Sorey. She helped me out so many times when I *just* couldn’t understand a chemistry concept. To her, it was effortless! I’m so sorry for your loss. An had the most infectious smile and laugh – she would light up a room with those qualities.
Dear Jeff and family: Words cannot express how difficult this is to accept. Truly speechless and sorry for your loss. An was an extremely loved person and an admired wife. I still recall An coming to Saturday AM Bootcamp classes (when you had kids duty), she was genuine and caring even in those fleeting moments. I could see the grit and love she exuded. Sending you positive energy and thoughts. I hope you and the family are able to find solace in the beautiful memories you both created and may god give you and kids extra strength.
I was saddened to hear about An’s passing. I have always admired her dedication to loving her family. I didn’t realize how fast time flew by until I saw the pictures of her and listened to stories about her at the memorial. Life is already too short, and it hurts to see her leave so soon. Thank you for honoring the memory of her. I wish her family the best.
I’m so sad to hear of An’s passing. I worked with An at Lakeside School for several years. She was a patient and thoughtful colleague. After she moved on from Lakeside, I loved seeing her annual holiday card. My heartfelt condolences to her family and all who knew and loved her.
What a shock to learn An’s passing a few days ago… Reading Jeff’s message filled with love and sorrow, I immediately booked the flight to attend her memorial service for one of the most memorable piano students, who was so determined, excelled, and eager to learn. Her celebration of life was incredibly beautiful packed with the people who loved An, reflecting her happy, giving and loving personality. It is an imaginable loss, and yet, I found hope and light when I saw her precious children, Elizabeth, John and Marian, and warm community around them. My deepest condolences to her mom Joan, husband Jeff, and all her family who love An deeply.
We were deeply saddened to hear of An’s passing. May God’s love and peace surround you and your family during this difficult time.