Boun Senesap

Boun Senesap, 63, passed away  on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center. He was the devoted husband of Thongsay (Phaivan) Senesap, with whom he shared 40 years of marriage.

Born in Vientiane, Laos, he was a son of the late Csy and Puong Senesap. A refugee during the Vietnam War, Boun immigrated to U.S. at age 19. He arrived in America with just the clothes on his back and not a dollar to his name, and pursued odd jobs where he earned only a couple of dollars a day. Boun's work ethic and character were undeniable. Dropped off by a bus in Dallas, TX, he managed to travel to Minnesota to meet up with Thongsay. He married her and raised her children as his own. Together, they had a son, Jack, and continued to pursue a better life for all of their children. The family moved to Philadelphia and purchased a 3-unit apartment building, renting only the first floor apartment to start. With years of hard work and dedication to his family, Boun finally settled the Senesap Family in Exeter Township. Right before his passing at the age of 63, after more than 40 years of living and working here, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America on January 20, 2023. Boun Senesap earned this status as he was definition of living the America Dream.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Thongsay; son, Jack Senesap (Terri) of Reading; daughters: Joi Roth (Aaron) of Reading, Jennifer Senesap (Yusuf Benton) of Charlotte, NC, and Nhommala Schoepfer (Andrew) of Rockford, IL; grandchildren: Melody Gutierrez (Ian), Molly, Makayla, Jayden, Jacob, Morgan, and Skyler; and a great granddaughter, Thalia.

Boun was preceded in death by a brother and sister.

There will be a viewing at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 18, 2023.  at  Kuhn Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. 5153 Kutztown Road Temple, PA 19560. Per Laotian tradition, a Buddhist funeral service will begin at 3:00 p.m., directly followed by cremation.

Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc, 739 Penn Avenue, West Reading, PA 19611 is honored to serve the Senesap family. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.

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Most Laotians are Buddhists that believe in reincarnation, and will have their deceased cremated. They believe that the spirits in the scattered cremated remains will rise to heaven. Prior to cremation, the family will wash their loved one in a bathing ceremony, keeping them at home for one to three days before the funeral. This allows loved ones time to pay their respects and offer support to the family.

Males who were close to the deceased shave their heads and eyebrows, and don monks' robes while women put their hair up and wear all white, and focus on ways to earn merit for themselves and their deceased. The women dressed in white at the ceremony should not be hugged or touched in any way during the funeral. Others in attendance should wear black to the funeral. These rituals are believed to push the deceased closer to heaven and give them added luck and happiness in their next life. The funeral itself is typically led by monks, with specific chants and prayers.

Following the funeral, loved ones place food, water, and other items inside the coffin before cremation takes place. After cremation, those in attendance wash their hands with purified liquid and return to the family home for a final prayer. There is usually a follow-up memorial service 100 days after the death, and again on the 1-year anniversary of the death.