Nancy Ze Xiong Yang
In Loving Memory
Nancy Ze Xiong Yang, age 68, of Oak Creek, entered into eternal rest, surrounded by her 11 children and beloved husband on October 27, 2025. Nancy was born in 1957 in Napo, Laos, as the second eldest of six children to Chong Neng Xiong and See Chang Xiong. She spent her childhood working on the family farm before moving to Vientiane to study at a Catholic boarding school where she focused her studies on sewing and cooking.
After a brief courtship in Laos, Nancy and Thomas married in 1976. Despite facing numerous hardships and obstacles, their marriage spanned 49 years. Shortly after getting married, Nancy and Thomas fled Laos with their eldest daughter to the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp in Thailand during the Vietnam War. They lived in the refugee camp for 7 years and had 6 additional children there before immigrating to the United States in 1987.
After arriving in the United States and spending a short time in Georgia, Nancy and Thomas moved their family to Wisconsin. Motivated by their desire to learn English, provide a better life for their family and guarantee every opportunity for their children, they decided to move their family to Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Once there, both Nancy and Thomas attended school to learn English. Nancy pursued her studies and earned a high school diploma to enhance her career opportunities.
Nancy and Thomas built a humble but beautiful life together in Sheboygan for 32-years. While raising their young children as a stay-at-home mom, Nancy found ways to meet the financial needs of her family. Her entrepreneurial spirit was steadfast. Nancy never allowed any barriers, no matter how insurmountable, to prevent her from achieving her dreams or her children’s dreams. Her drive, determination, wit, and ability to dream was and continues to be an inspiration to her children.
Over the course of her career, Nancy built numerous successful businesses leveraging her many talents, including a grocery store, alterations shop, and restaurant. Nancy was an extraordinary cook, and was a vendor at Hmong tournaments and a staple at the Sheboygan Farmer's Market where she sold the best Hmong eggrolls in the area for over 20 years. Nancy was a charismatic saleswoman and quickly became a Sales Director with Mary Kay in 1998, earning herself a brand new coveted red Pontiac Grand Am. Nancy was also a savvy real estate investor, having acquired several real estate properties as investments over the course of her career. But for the onset of her illness in 2020, Nancy would have worked until her last days. Her determination persisted even as she faced health challenges.
Nancy was a caring wife and accomplished businesswoman, but her deepest devotion and affection were reserved for her 11 children. Nancy’s dedication and selfless acts of love for her children are unmatched. She used her sewing talents to sew beautiful outfits for her children when poverty prevented her from being able to purchase clothes for each child. She leveraged her gardening skills to grow nutritious vegetables and used her cooking talents to provide delicious meals for her family. Despite the numerous challenges she faced as a young mother of 11 children in an unfamiliar country, she always ensured her children had everything they needed. She quickly learned the American customs and traditions to assist her children in assimilating, wrapping each child a small gift for Christmas, preparing Easter baskets, taking her children trick-or-treating, and celebrating each child’s birthday. Even in her last year and despite her health challenges, Nancy made it a point to regularly call and visit each child. Her love for her children was unwavering.
Nancy was preceded in death by her father, Chong Neng Xiong; her mother, See Chang Xiong; and her brother, Tony Xiong. She is survived by her husband, Thomas Yang, 11 children, 13 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.