Mr. Cher Pao Vue, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his family in Porum, Oklahoma, at 67 years old on the morning of October 1st, 2023, after a year long battle with cancer. Cher Pao is survived by his wife, Marie Vue, 3 sons Choua Vue, Chue Vue, and Mark Vue, his 2 daughters Mai Kou Messieha and Nhia Vue-Thao, and 4 grandchildren, Calvin & Amelia Vue and Micah & Ezrah Messieha. Cher Pao is also survived by his 8 siblings VaBlong Lee, Shoua Vang, Ryan Vue, Betty Yang, See Vue, Jay Vue, Za Vue, and Kae Vue.

Cher Pao was born in the village of Ban Hoi Tha, Xiengkhouang Province of Laos on November 4th, 1955, to his father PaGe Vue and his mother Ma Thao Vue. As a young adult in Laos, Cher Pao studied to be a teacher from the Dongdok National University of Laos. During the Laotian Civil War in the 1960s & 70s, his father served on the United States CIA's Special Guerilla Units (SGU) alongside many other Hmong families. To escape Laotian persecution, the Vue family fled to the Ban Vinai refugee camp, Thailand in 1975.

It was at the refugee camp where he met and married Phoua Yang in January of 1978. In 1979, Cher Pao, his then wife, and 3-month old son were sponsored by an American church to move to the state of Nebraska. Nearly 6 months later, the Vue family relocated to Boulder, Colorado to reunite with their extended family. In January of 1981, his daughter was the first child born in the United States within the Vue family, but unfortunately Cher Pao and Phoua later divorced in 1982. In August of 1983, Cher Pao then met and married Marie Gasao Ly, where they went on to have 3 children together.

It was in Colorado where Cher Pao went on to become a prominent leader in the Hmong community. Cher Pao coached the local Hmong soccer team, helped to establish the Lao Buddhist Temple of Colorado, served as a Chairman for the Vue Family Association of Colorado and Vice President of the Vue National Association, and was on the Board of Directors for the Lao-Hmong Coalition Association. Cher Pao received his Associates Degree from Front Range Community College and his Bachelor of Information Technology from the University of Phoenix in 2003. Cher Pao worked for 25 years at StorageTek, a data retention systems company now owned by Oracle, in Louisville, Colorado. In 2006, Cher Pao and Marie moved to Porum, Oklahoma, where they established and became owners of the poultry breeding business named Happy Farm.

Cher Pao is notably known for his caring heart and incredible leadership skills. Cher Pao's favorite hobbies include hunting and fishing, where he spent countless seasons bonding with his brothers, cousins, and children. Cher Pao was proud of his farm, his children's accomplishments, including Chue's Master of Music degree from Arizona State University in 2014 & Mark's Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Oklahoma in 2022, and his 40 year marriage to his wife, Marie.

Cher Pao will be honored in a traditional Hmong ceremony at Lakeside Hall at 12732 South Old Hwy 169 in Oologah, OK on Saturday, November 4th & Sunday November 5th, 2023 and will be laid to rest in Sallisaw, OK on Monday November 6th. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Vue family can be directed to his daughter via Paypal at sincerelynhia@gmail.com sincerelynhia@gmail.com>.