Chay Inthavong

Chay Inthavong, 66 years old, of Amarillo, TX passed away Thursday, May 11,

2023

Our Daddy and Pau finally hit the jackpot! On Thursday, May 11, 2023, he was welcomed back home by his beautiful bride of 46 years.

Chay was born in Laos on January 7, 1957. He was arranged and married the woman who became his life’s love, in May of 1976 in Nongkhai, Thailand. Chay and Done arrived in the United States as refugees in January of 1981 in Los Angelos, California, along with their daughter Ai who was 10 months old at the time. Their son John soon followed and was born in Whittier in 1982.

Chay had fond memories of living in Whitter as a first-generation immigrant that came to the United States to seek the American Dream. Those moments kept him humble and hardworking. He loved sharing with his grandkids his stories about picking cans at the beaches in California for quarters, ordering McDonald’s for the first time, music by Lionel Ritchie, and going to school to learn English, where he learned the words to the songs, “You are my sunshine”, and “Oh Susanna”, which he sang to his granddaughter Emalie even to the last week of his life.

In 1983 his childhood best friend from Laos, who was living in Amarillo, Texas called him to move to Amarillo, where he resided until his passing.

Chay worked at Tyson for many years and one day decided he wanted to learn how to cook. There he took a risk and quit his job to learn how to cook and from there he spent the rest of his life as a chef and business owner. His love for food was the driving force behind his passion to serve others and make them smile. Chay never met a stranger. His smile and laughter lit up the room. He always started a story with, “Exactly”, and there never went a day he didn’t brag about his grandkids. He previously worked as a chef for Bangkok Restaurant, owned Thai House in the late 90s, and then in 2006 not only did he become a US CItizen but, he moved to Childress to open Thai Kitchen where he was until 2020 when he retired and returned to Amarillo.

Chay was famous for his bowling skills and perfect scoring games at Eastridge Bowl and he made the best steak for those traveling through Childress on HWY 287. Chay was many things. He was a husband, father, friend, uncle, and business owner, but his favorite title was Pau. His grandkids hung the moon and he was their #1 fan. He never missed a moment or a game no matter where they were and he always fit a trip to the casino in between.

Chay loved to cook, serve others, go to the temple, have coffee and donuts every morning, be a grandpa, and spend his days with wife. They were side by side and never apart for 43 years, until her passing in November of 2020.

Chay and Done loved with no conditions. Everything about them was unconditional. He was resilient through every season of his life and fought the good fight until the very last moment. They are finally reunited and off to find a casino and live a wonderful glorious life together in eternity.

Chay is preceded in death by his parents and siblings in Laos, and his wife, Done Inthavong.

Left to carry on his legacy are his children, Ai and husband Mario Lopez, and son John of Amarillo. His Daughter Mout of Canada and son Phout of Laos from a previous marriage. His grandchildren, Kenzie and Husband Shawn Jasper. Saiyid, Emalie, and Jett Lopez. Alyssa, Canada, and 1 granddaughter in Laos. His great-grandchildren, Cayden, Kayson, and Easton Jasper. And his best friend and longtime companion, Nash the Goldendoodle.

Our family wishes to thank Dr. Saadaldin and the 4th-floor South A Nurses & techs, along with the pretty PT girls at Northwest. We tried to get him better together. We are forever grateful.

Thank you deeply to our Vongprachanh Family for always walking alongside our family and being there after losing both of our parents to carry the traditions of our father.

Viewing will be from 8:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, May 15, 2023 at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount. Funeral services will follow at 1:00 PM at the funeral home.