Morn Vilaysing, a loving, courageous, and gentle woman, passed away peacefully of natural causes on May 22, 2023, at her daughter’s house in Pierre, South Dakota.

Morn was born on August 7, 1960, to Kong and Zem Oukham in Thailand, where she spent her early years before immigrating to the United States in 1980 through a refugee camp. She was placed in Wichita, Kansas, where she met and married the love of her life, Roger Vilaysing. Morn embraced her new life in America, learning to speak English by watching Sesame Street with her children and tuning into The Young and The Restless.

Morn’s life was marked by her unwavering strength and resilience. After years of battling renal failure and being on dialysis, Morn received a second chance at life when her daughter Vanida selflessly donated a kidney to her in 2007.

In her final years, Morn was lovingly cared for by her daughter Sofia, who served as her companion, caregiver, taxi driver, personal chef, and shopper. In April of 2023, Morn was able to fulfill a long-held dream of returning to Thailand for one final visit, accompanied by her two daughters and seven of her grandchildren.

Morn’s greatest joy in life was her family. After making the trip home to Thailand and witnessing her third oldest grandchild graduate Morn was ready to transcend beyond this world. She is survived by her daughters, Sofia (Alex) Cornfield and Vanida (Brandon) Schmitt, and her grandchildren, Anabelle, Zoe, October, Aimee, Hunter, Sage, Bo, Ashley, and Keira. Morn is also survived by her brothers, Sawaoy, Souvanh, Panya, and Sam.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roger, and her parents, Kong and Zem.

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