Sa Sai Thao

Sa Sai Thao peacefully passed in his son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Kayla Thao’s home in Appleton, WI.  He was the son of Cha Chong Thao and Pla Chang was born on 4/7/1933 in Xieng Khouang, Laos.  He was the second youngest sibling of seven children.  He is preceded in death by his parents, wife, Ying, two older brothers and three older sisters.  His younger sister, YerT Chang currently lives in Laos.  Mr. Thao was happily married to Ying Xiong in 1954.  They have ten children together but two are deceased.  All are living in the US.  Mee (Oldest) married to (Song Pao Her), Nou Vang married to (Eileen Thao), Chong Soua married to (May Houa H Thao), Youa married to (Ria Moua), Zer married to (BeeYang), Cher Kou married to (Ong Y Thao), and Ly married to (Wa Lue Lor), and Txong Kao married to (Yia H. Thao).  Sa Sai has 46 grandchildren and 72 great grandchildren.

Sa’s military involvement was as follows:  1951 to 1953 served in the French Indochina War, 1963 to 1967 served in the Special Guerrilla Units (SGU) in the Vietnam War, 1969 to 1975 served similar to the National Guard to protect village. In between protecting his village Mr. Thao served as a spy for the CIA.

Sa Sai fled Laos to Thailand in May of 1975.  He then immigrated to the United States being sponsored by 1st Baptist Church in Stevens Point where they lived for a year.

He loved hunting, watching WWE wrestling but mostly enjoyed helping others in the community.  He was a man who loved and served the Lord.  He set an example of being faithful in prayer.  In 1979, six local Hmong families met at his house for worship and grew to eventually be known later as the First Hmong Missionary Alliance Church.  He was a good husband, father and grandfather.  He will be greatly missed.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 18, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., Sunday, December 19, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with the funeral service on Monday, December 20, 2021 starting at 9:00 a.m. all at the Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 3400 Stewart Avenue, Wausau, WI.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com