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Remembering
Judith Mae Nguyen
Fundraiser by:
Judith Mae Nguyen (nee Hooper)
Remembering
Judith Mae Nguyen
Judith Mae Nguyen
Judith (Mae Hooper) Nguyen (OAM)
1947-2025
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On behalf of a group of Vietnamese New Zealand Alumni (1957-1975), I have created this fundraising page in memory of Judith Mae Nguyen (nee Hooper) OAM, who is the beloved wife of our dear friend NGUYEN, Dinh Thong, Emeritus Professor, late of Hobart and Sydney, and who we sadly lost to melanoma.
With your help, the funds we raise will support Melanoma Institute Australia's world-class research, treatment, and education programs, in the hope that we can lessen the impact of melanoma on the lives of others. Melanoma research is also underpinning treatment for other cancers, including brain cancer.
Click 'Donate' make a secure online donation. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
Thank you for your support.
Notes from the Family of Judith Mae Nguyen
Dear family and friends
It is with great sadness that we inform you that our beloved mother Judith died peacefully at home on 26 April 2025, aged 78, after a spirited fightback against a rare and aggressive form ofnodular melanoma. Mum received gold standard treatmentsfrom
her world-renowned Melanoma Oncologist, Professor Georgina Long and her team at Melanoma Institute Australia, who did their very best to prolong her life.
Mum is survived by her triplet sisters, Joy (Malaysia) and Jillian, and brother Bryan (New Zealand). Her loss will also be felt by our partners, Chris Edwardes and Julie Englefield, and her most loved grandchildren, Liem and Sophie Edwardes (Melbourne) and Tana and Kian Hooper-Nguyen (Brisbane).She will also be missed by her many friends and family members around the world.
Despite living with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis from the age of 30, necessitating many joint replacements, Mum packed a lot in, having a successful secondary school teaching career at Howick College in Auckland, becoming Head of the English Department; and a switch to corporate communications when she and Dad moved to Tasmania in 1989 (for him to take up his position as the new Professor and Dean of the Engineering School), where she worked in various government departments and ultimately became Director Communications Policy at the Tasmanian Department of Premier & Cabinet.She was also the President of Arthritis Tasmania, and President of the Society of Editors Tasmania.
When they retired to Sydney in 2005, Dad continued his university research while Mum continued her work as Director Consumers on the Board of Arthritis Australia, advocating for better funding and services for people living with arthritis. For this she received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2013. After joining the Sydney Women’s International Club (SWIC) in 2007, she embarked on digitalizing all print publications and later designed and administered the SWIC website for many years. All the while she found time to pursue interests such as the SWIC Theatre Group, her Reading Group, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, doing tapestry, going to art exhibitions, and hostingfriends.
Mum and Dad travelled the world, with numerous sabbaticals, most notably in London, Grenoble, Montreal, Prague and Singapore, as well as travelling to a new country every year. We were certainly beneficiaries of this travel, gaining an international perspective that has helped us in our careers.Mum always said her ‘second home’ was Vietnam though, having lived in Saigon from 1969-1975, and being made very welcome and loved by our father’s family. In subsequent years Mum and Dad set up ‘The Haven’, an education project in Hue, Central Vietnam, to give socially and economically deprived children a chance for an education, and a brighter future. They regarded this as one of their greatest achievements. Before her death Mum was able to travel to Vietnam with us to see Dad’s family, which was sad but joyful.
When she was diagnosed with nodular melanoma in May 2023, Mum proclaimed, “Look, I have had the most wonderful life, the only tragedy being the sudden and unexpected death of my dearest Thông (in 2014).” She was very proud of her two children and four grandchildren and their achievements, and knew how proud our father would also be. What more could you ask for?
It was Mum’s wish that she be privately cremated and her remains taken to Vietnam to be buried in the Nguyen family tomb next to her beloved husband. A private celebration of her life was held for local friends and family in Sydney in April, when she was well enough to enjoy it.
No flowers or gifts please, but if you wish, a donation to the Melanoma Institute Australia Research Fund would be very much appreciated at https://melanoma.org.au/donate/
With heartfelt thanks for the part you have played in our mother’s joyful life.
Sarah Nguyen (drsarahlynguyen@gmail.com) and Andrew Hooper-Nguyen (andrewhn@me.com)
Judith's Own Orbituary
Always organised and thoughtful our extraordinary mother Judith wrote her own obituary before she passed away.
Dear family and friends
Yesterday, I passed away while dozing on the couch at my home in Sydney. My children - Sarah and Andrew - were present.
I mounted a spirited fightback against a rare and aggressive form of nodular melanoma and was privileged to receive gold standard treatments from world-renowned Melanoma Oncologist, Professor Georgina Long and her team at Melanoma Institute Australia. They did their very best to prolong my life. For its faults, the Australian medical system is truly world class.
I am survived by my children Sarah and Andrew, my triplet sisters, Joy and Jillian, and brother Bryan, son-in-law Chris Edwardes and daughter-in-law Julie Englefield and my most loved grandchildren, Liem and Sophie Edwardes and Tana and Kian Hooper-Nguyen.
Despite living with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis from the age of 30, necessitating many joint replacements, I packed a lot in, having a successful secondary school teaching career at Howick College in Auckland, becoming Head of the English Department; and a switch to corporate communications when Thong and I moved to Tasmania in 1989 (for him to take up his position as the new Professor and Dean of the Engineering School). I worked in various government departments and ultimately became Director Communications Policy at the Tasmanian Department of Premier & Cabinet and was also the President of Arthritis Tasmania, and President of the Society of Editors Tasmania.
When we retired to Sydney in 2005, Thong continued his university research while I continued my work as Director Consumers on the Board of Arthritis Australia, advocating for better funding and services for people living with arthritis. For this I received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2013. After joining the Sydney Women’s International Club (SWIC) in 2007, I embarked on digitalizing all print publications and later designed and administered the SWIC website for many years. Together with my cherished friends, I enjoyed SWIC Theatre Group, Reading Group, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, going to art exhibitions, and hosting friends for wine and cheese on the balcony.
Thong and I were fortunate to travel the world. We had numerous sabbaticals, most notably in London, Grenoble, Montreal, Prague and Singapore, as well as travelling to a new country every year. We were certainly beneficiaries of this travel, gaining an international perspective that has helped us in our careers and shaped the global outlook of our children (and grandchildren). As most of you know, my ‘second home’ was Vietnam, having lived in Saigon from 1969-1975, and being made very welcome and loved by Thong’s wonderful family. In subsequent years we set up ‘The Haven’, an education project in Hue, Central Vietnam, to give socially and economically deprived children a chance for an education, and a brighter future. Thong and I regarded this as one of our greatest achievements, seeing about 50 underprivileged students through high school and university. Before my death, I was able to travel to Vietnam with Sarah and Andrew to see Thong’s family, which was sad but joyful. In the future, my ashes will join Thong in Vietnam.
When I was diagnosed with nodular melanoma in May 2023, I was could positively reflect that I have had the most wonderful life, the only tragedy being the sudden and unexpected death of my dearest Thông (in 2014). When planning for my well anticipated demise, Sarah convinced me to host a 'living wake'. So in lieu of a funeral, my dear friends and family gathered exactly a week ago to enjoy jazz, Vietnamese food, music by my grandchildren and best of all - friendship and love.
My last act was to cast an early vote in the upcoming Australian election. Go Albo!
No flowers or gifts please, but if you wish, a donation to the Melanoma Institute Australia Research Fund would be very much appreciated at https://melanoma.org.au/donate/
With heartfelt thanks for the part you have played in my joyful life.
Judith
About the Cause
Melanoma Institute Australia
Melanoma Institute Australia is dedicated to the goal of zero deaths from melanoma, a goal we believe we can reach this decade through innovative, world-class research, treatment, and education programs. For more info, visit our website. Melanoma Institute Australia (incorporating melanomaWA, Skin Cancer Tasmania and Amie St Clair).
