He was born on April 25th, 1941, in Naj Nyoos, Laos to Nchaiv Leej Xyooj and Phuab Vaj. He was the fourth child of nine children. His father passed when he was 11, and his mother re-married Txhiaj Kaub Xyooj. They had one son and she also passed and his step-father re-married. It became a blended family.

          In his youth, he attended grade school in Loos Lam, Laos. His desire for an education ended with the Vietnam War raging and he left to train first as a medic and then as a paratrooper with the Royal Thai Army and served under General Vang Pao. (1960 – 1967)

          Wa Doua married Ntxhais Yaj (Say Yang), the daughter of Mog Pov Yaj, in December of 1962 and eight children (5 sons/3 daughters) were born from this union. He was an entrepreneur with a rice mill business. In 1975, at the end of the war, the family fled to Thailand. While in the refugee camps, they sought asylum status to the United States. On March 12, 1976, the family was sponsored to come to Ohio by Good Shepherd, Martin Luther, and Zion Lutheran Church in Canton, OH.

          In 1977, the family departed the cold winters of Ohio and moved to the warmth of Santa Ana, California to be closer with other family members. In 1987, he visited Georgia and fell in love with the opportunities there and moved his family to Decatur and then Stone Mountain. Throughout his life, he loved to farm so he moved to Dacula and then to Jefferson, GA so he could work the land and share his bounty with the community. In Georgia, he worked for Oki Telecom, the leading Japanese Telecommunications company. He retired in 2006.

          Wa Doua lived his life to honor God and served the church in various capacities. In his earlier years, he served the church in Laos and then in the US he drove the little “Blue Bus” to pick up families for church services and eventually served as an Elder in the church. He played an integral part in the success and growth of First Hmong Alliance of Santa Ana, Hmong New Hope Alliance and Victory Hmong Alliance Church. He was a servant to many in our community, a courageous man saving lives during the war, an elder in the church, a loving provider to his family, and a model employee while he was working.

          Wa Doua is survived by his affectionate wife, 8 children, 29 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and a host of aunts, uncles, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.