Sarah McQuillen-Tran
Sarah Elizabeth McQuillen-Tran passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Friday, February 28th at the age of 34. She had a strong spirit and courageously fought a relapse of leukemia over the past year. Sarah received bone marrow transplants from her brother Paul and her sister Kathy, and excellent medical care from Johns Hopkins Medical Center and Baylor Medical Center. Sarah received tremendous support and encouragement from her family, friends and the local community, especially her Fondren Family and Southern Methodist University. Sarah's family would like to thank Armstrong elementary school, Highland Park Presbyterian Church, and Highland Park United Methodist Church for their support.
Sarah was born in Leidschedam, Holland in 1979. She was educated in England, Saudi Arabia, the USA and the Philippines. She volunteered in the Philippines, India and Nepal before going to college at UC Berkeley. After graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering, Sarah and her college sweetheart Thuan Tran joined the Peace Corps and served in Guinea, West Africa. They married in Oakland, California in 2004. Their daughter FarrahSophia was born in Oakland, California in 2005. Sarah and Thuan moved to Washington, D.C, where Sarah attended Georgetown Law School, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She Clerked for the Hon. Judge Timothy Belcher Dyk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and worked for Jones Day LLP. Sarah won her first battle with Leukemia in DC in 2008, enabling her to live a happy, healthy life for four and a half more years, and have a son, Jimi Owen Tran in 2010. Since 2011, Professor Tran served as an Assistant Professor of Law at the Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas. She specialized in Intellectual Property, Regulatory and Environmental Law. A nationally recognized legal scholar, Professor Tran published articles in many of the leading U.S. law journal, and served as a Fellow in the SMU Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute. Professor Tran was a dedicated teacher, often conducting lectures from the hospital via Skype. Sarah was also active with the Armstrong Elementary School and a leader in the Fondren Neighborhood Association. Sarah is survived by her husband Thuan and their children FarrahSophia and Jimi Owen, her mother Jacqueline Conci and husband Michael Conci, and her father Roland McQuillen and wife Gabrielle Kelly-McQuillen. Sarah is also survived by her siblings Paul, Mark and Kathy.
A memorial service celebrating Sarah's life and spirit was held on March 15th at the Highland Park Methodist Church on 3300 Mockingbird Lane in Dallas, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family is accepting donations to the Tran Children Development Fund, via www.giveforward.com.
Sarah was a compassionate affectionate wife and a devoted loving mother. She will live on in our hearts as a shining example of brilliance, tenacity, an adventurous 'can do' spirit, dedication to family, students, fun, life and love.