Thu T Hardy

Thu Thi Hoài Potthoff Hardy, 82, of Twin Falls on July 31, 2024, after a long, heart-breaking period of physical and mental decline inflicted on her by dementia. Her final breaths were taken at her home surrounded by her husband and living children.

Thu was born in Saigon, Vietnam in 1941. She was one of twelve siblings. Thu lost both of her parents at a young age. Her father passed away when she was four and her mother when she was fourteen. At fourteen, Thu began her Tuðng Cái Lu’o’ng acting career and the primary wage earner for her family. Tuðng Cái Lu’o’ng is a form of modern folk opera in Vietnam. She performed on radio, stage, and television.

Thu had two children, Myly and Tuan in her first marriage. Her first husband was a Captain of a military ship, but he disappeared after his ship was sunk during the Vietnam war. Thu remarried to Terrence Potthoff and had two more children, Charley and MaryAnna. Charley was born in Vietnam and MaryAnna was born in the United States. Thu made a difficult decision to leave her career, family, and friends in Vietnam to bring her children to the United States in 1973 in hopes of securing them a better and safe future. Terrence and Thu divorced in 1977 but remained friends to this day. In 1979, Thu married the love of her life, Royle Hardy. They had a beautiful 45-year marriage.

Thu was the cherished matriarch of her family. She was small in stature, but her charisma and strength made her seem 10 times her size. She used this charisma to help other immigrants who came to the US to start a new life. She opened her home and time to help Vietnamese refugees acclimate to life in the US. She expanded her reach to help other refugees by taking over and expanding Twin Falls first Asian grocery store called Asia Market. She made sure that refugees from multiple Asian countries had access to their foods. But many times, people would just come and spend time with Thu at her store. Even new customers would end up staying for an hour being entertained by Thu’s life stories. She ran this store for more than 20 years before she closed it to retire.

Thu is survived by her husband, Royle Hardy and her children Tuan (Nhung) Potthoff, Charley (Tam) Potthoff, MaryAnna (Joseph) Peavey; stepchildren David (Jenny) Hardy, Troy (Beth) Hardy; 9 grandchildren; 6 step-grandchildren;5 great-grandchildren and extend family in Idaho and Vietnam.

She was preceded in death by her daughter Myly Adams and close sister Son Nguyen and several family members in Vietnam. 

There will be a funeral service at Rosenau Funeral home (2826 Addison Avenue East, Twin Falls Idaho) on August 24, 2024 at 9:00am. The service will be broadcast online for those unable to travel to Twin Falls.. Following the service there will be a family hosted event at Loong Hing (1719 Kimberly Road, Twin Falls Idaho) at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made Chùa Linh Thüu Buddhist Temple in Boise Idaho or via Venmo to @MhPeavey for her Buddhist ceremonial expense.