Jonas Chor Vang

Jonas Chor Vang (Txawjpov Vaj), our beloved husband, father, and grandpa of Andover, MN, passed away peacefully at age 60 on January 20, 2024, after a lifelong battle with kidney failure, surrounded by his family.

Jonas was born on July 7, 1963, to Tzue Ze Vang (Txwjzeb Vaj) and Lao Thor (Lauj Thoj) in Xayabouri, Laos. He immigrated to America in 1979 after the Vietnam War. He lived with a foster family in Fosston, MN, where he attended school and demonstrated extraordinary devotion to learning English and educating himself amidst the challenges of navigating a foreign land. After graduating from Edison High School in 1983, he went on to pursue further education at Mankato State University, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement. After graduating from college, he started his first job at the St. Paul Police Department as a police officer, kickstarting a career in defending and protecting his community. However, it was a short-lived career due to sudden kidney failure at the age of 27.

In his final years, Jonas retired from his latest job as a correctional officer for the Minneapolis Juvenile Detention Center due to kidney decline and spent his time in devotion first to God, to his family, and to his grandchildren, all of whom especially adored him. Jonas is survived by Angela Yang and Grace Xiong, his 10 children, Gou Sheng Vang-Lee (husband Tou Lee), Zoua Gleason (husband Ryan Gleason), Nou Adeyemi (husband Ademola Adeyemi), Nitro Vang (wife Chelsi Her), Pakou Remick (husband Adam Remick), Pa Zee Nelson (husband Evan Nelson), Padee Vang, Lina Vang, Theelee Vang, Evelyn Vang, and his 13 grandchildren, Kaleb Gleason (20), Sephira Lee (12), Arya Lee (10), Coen Lee (8), Adoniram Nelson (8), Cayden Lee (6), Susana Nelson (6), Anders Nelson (2), Ezekiel Remick (2), Xolo Gleason (2), Tobias Adeyemi (2), River Remick (1), and Gabriella Adeyemi (2 months).

Even at the end of his life, he demonstrated incredible strength, assured in the hope he found in Jesus Christ, and fought to live with everything he had until his final breath. Jonas will be remembered for his humor, friendship, resilience, many talents, zeal for life, and abundance of wisdom. We love you so dearly, Dad, and will miss you until the day we meet again in God’s kingdom.

A life celebration service will be held at 3:00pm at Bradshaw Funeral Home, 4600 Greenhaven Drive, White Bear Township, on Sunday, February 4th, 2024. Our father will be laid in his resting place on Monday, February 5th, 2024 at 12:00 PM. If you wish to join us for the final send off, please meet us directly at Lakewood Cemetery (Minneapolis, MN).

The family deeply appreciates your thoughts, prayers, and support during this difficult time of sorrow and requests all donations be made to our father’s memorial fund in lieu of flowers at the service or send via Venmo: Jonas Choj Vang Memorial @Sheng-VangLee. We encourage your contribution by sharing memories of our beloved father on this website or a hand-written card to be collected at the funeral home.