Obituary of Luong Dat Lam

Luong Dat Lam, 77, of Freehold NJ, peacefully passed away with his loving family by his side on Monday, July 10, 2023 at CentraState Medical Center. Luong was born in Phan Rang, a coastal town in south Vietnam on December 21, 1945. He, along with his parents and siblings, owned and operated a successful general store in Phan Rang until the Lam family and their young children fled communist Vietnam in 1978 as refugees on a small boat. They landed in Hong Kong and lived in a refugee camp for 18 months, eventually immigrating to the United States and settling in Freehold, NJ in 1980. Although, Luong was in ill health for most of his life, he always maintained a positive and kindhearted attitude.  He instilled in his children the traditions of their Chinese heritage in their upbringing. He was an accomplished cook who served his family a variety of Mandarin, Cantonese and Vietnamese cuisines. Chinese New Year was always a special time of year in the Lam family household where he would prepare a variety of 8 to 10 traditional fish and meat dishes to celebrate the festive holiday. Not only was he an outstanding cook, he was also an avid fisherman where he could always be found with pole in hand on the jetties of the Manasquan inlet reeling in 30lb strip bass. Luong was also an accomplished painter demonstrating his artistic skills in his paintings that mimic the style of the famous contemporary artist known as the ‘Painter of Light’, Thomas Kinkade.

Luong was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife Khiem; his daughter Chan Lam Barski and husband Charles of Long Valley NJ; his son Hy ‘Kenny’ Lam and his wife Shirley of Morganville NJ, and his son Thanh Lam of Freehold NJ; siblings, Khai Lam and Chan of Freehold NJ, Khoa Lam and Xiowling of Freehold NJ, Khanh Lam and Huy Bac of Freehold NJ; and grandchildren Charlie and Liya Barski, and Katelyn and Melanie Lam.

Friends and family are invited to visit on Thursday, July 13, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A private family Buddhist Ceremony will be held on Friday, July 14 from 10:00-12:00pm.  Both services will be at Freeman Funeral Home, 47 East Main Street. To leave a condolence or find directions, visit www.freemanfuneralhomes.com.