Van Tot Lam, commonly known as Cam to his many friends in the community at large and Anh Hai to his Vietnamese friends in Yarmouth, peacefully left us at Treasured Memories Seniors Estate at about 7 A.M. on January 11, 2023.
He was born on April 17, 1929 in An Giang Province, Viet Nam. In the wake of the war in Viet Nam and the takeover of the South by the North, he left, and in 1981, arrived in Nova Scotia under the sponsorship of a church group in Weymouth, where he worked for Lewis Lumber. Employment opportunities at the cotton mill beckoned, and he moved to Yarmouth after about a year. After a few years, he bought a building on John Street and established Lam’s Used Books, still in operation under different owners.
Anh Hai was a great help to many of the Vietnamese who settled in Yarmouth after him, and that help is gratefully remembered. He was also well-known for his angling prowess, his stories, and the house parties he frequently hosted.
He is survived by daughters Lam Hue Minh, Hue Linh, and Hue Lan (Buu) all of Saigon, Viet Nam, as well as by sons Duc Lam of Toronto, Quoc Lam of Kitchener, and Son Nguyen (Tom) Lam of San Francisco.
On his behalf, the family wishes to thank Shelley and the staff of Treasured Memories for their patient, good-humoured care during the last six months of his life. They truly cared about him and miss him. Moving to Treasured Memories was quite an adjustment for him, but he greatly appreciated the care he got, and despite missing his home, liked it there.
Anh Hai’s remains are to be cremated and there will be no funeral at his request.