Vittorio C Cho

Vittorio C. Cho passed away on August 12, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was born on September 29, 1937, in Torino, Italy. Mr. Cho lived a remarkable life shaped by perseverance, hard work, faith, family, and experiences that many of us could only imagine.

His early years were anything but ordinary. Due to his father’s military service, Mr. Cho spent much of his childhood and teenage years traveling throughout Asia, experiencing different cultures and seeing parts of the world that would later become part of the many stories he loved to share. Eventually, Mr. Cho came to the United States, where he continued his education at Wingate College in North Carolina and later served in the United States Army. Building a new life in a new country required courage, independence, and determination, qualities that stayed with him throughout his life.

Over the years, Mr. Cho traveled throughout the country and held many different jobs. Each experience gave him another story to tell. He worked as a dishwasher, a truck driver, and even appeared as a background soldier in The Green Berets alongside John Wayne. Later, he spent his last 20 years working for the School District of Philadelphia, a job he truly enjoyed. Along the way, Mr. Cho met Cuc Thi Nguyễn. Their relationship grew into a lifelong partnership, and together they built a life centered on love, faith, commitment, and family.

If you knew Mr. Cho, you knew he loved to talk. He always had a story to tell, an experience to share, or an opinion to give. His stories came from a lifetime of travel, hardship, history, and adventure. Listening to him could sometimes feel like hearing the pages of a history book come to life. Those stories were part of what made him so memorable, and anyone who took the time to sit and listen usually walked away having learned something new. But beyond all the stories, Mr. Cho was an incredibly hard worker with a generous heart. He knew what it meant to come to a new country and build a life from the ground up, which gave him a special compassion for immigrants and others trying to find their way. Whenever he could lend a helping hand, he did.

He was fiercely independent and deeply devoted to his family. Whether connected by blood, marriage, or circumstance, Mr. Cho believed that family was family. He was a dedicated husband, stepfather, grandfather, great-grandfather, and a beloved member of his wife’s large extended family. Faith was also an important part of his life. For many years, he attended the Vietnamese Mennonite Church alongside his wife. After becoming a widower, he continued his spiritual journey at Third Baptist Church. Through the many chapters and challenges of his life, his faith remained a source of strength and comfort.

Mr. Cho taught us the importance of perseverance, independence, and hard work. More importantly, he showed us that family is not defined by blood alone. Family is defined by love, sacrifice, commitment, and choosing to be there for one another. Mr. Cho never truly retired. Working and staying active were simply part of who he was, and he continued for as long as he could. In his later years, the grandchildren he loved so deeply were there for him, offering the same care and devotion he had always shown his family.

Vittorio C. Cho passed away peacefully at St. Monica at the age of 88. During his final days, his grandchildren, Jennifer and Johnny, remained faithfully by his side. They played his favorite hymns, read passages from the Bible, and made sure he knew he was surrounded by love. His final moments reflected what mattered most to him throughout his life: family, faith, comfort, and love.

Mr. Cho was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Cuc Thi Nguyễn; his daughter, Cathy Eldridge; and his parents. He leaves behind his loving grandchildren, Jennifer Le and Johnny Eldridge Le, along with the many family members and loved ones whose lives were touched by his strength, generosity, stories, and love.