From Vietnam to the Willamette Valley: Thuy Chrestenson and the American Dream

The story of how Thuy Chrestenson arrived in the United States from her native Vietnam reads like a classic Hollywood movie script, from the chance encounter with her future husband to their whirlwind romance and life together on a rural Oregon farm.

Chrestenson, who today works as a licensed broker for Knipe Realty ERA Powered, was born in the Vietnamese city of Da Lat. Her husband, Dale, was visiting the country in 1991 as a tourist — he flew into the capital of Hanoi and was sightseeing by train when he met Thuy for the first time.

“I had just got out of school. We said hello, and started to build a relationship,” Chrestenson said. “It was very romantic.”

The two fell in love, and Dale would travel four more times to see Thuy before they decided to get married in 1994. Thuy came back with Dale to Oregon where they bought a 20-acre farm near Scio and opened Bear Creek Nursery, growing rhododendrons along with popular companion plants for wholesale and retail gardening and landscaping.

On her way to becoming an American citizen and licensed REALTOR®, Chrestenson said she adopted a new culture with the help of Dale and his parents. She perfected her English, learned to quilt and bake, and had two daughters, Laura and Terri, who are now grown.

“When you fall in love, things can happen,” Chrestenson said. “Everyone (back home) told me I’m very lucky, but also very brave.”

Farming to Real Estate

Running a farm was perhaps the one thing that felt familiar for Chrestenson. In Vietnam, her family grew vegetables and raised a variety of livestock, including cows, pigs, geese, ducks, chickens, and rabbits.

Thuy and Dale operated Bear Creek Nursery together for nearly 30 years before Dale’s retirement. Meanwhile, Thuy had also taken an interest in the real estate business. She earned her license in 2008, and despite the onset of the Great Recession was able to make it her second career.

“Homeownership is very important to me,” she said. “Moving from Vietnam to Oregon, I learned a home is not just a place, but a foundation and a sense of belonging.”

Chrestenson began serving this year on the MVAR Board of Directors as the North Santiam Council Chair. She said MVAR provides connections, education, and leadership. Her new role allows her to learn, contribute, and help strengthen the local REALTOR® community.

Over the years she has seen the ups and downs of the local market and encourages her clients — particularly first-time homebuyers — to constantly plan for their future.

“I try to explain to them very clearly, you may be buying a home today, but you have to plan for the next 5-10 years,” she said. “You have to learn how to save your dollars. I always say, your first home is your savings, and your second home will be your investment.”

Committed to Community

Along with MVAR, Chrestenson said she is passionate about supporting her local libraries and also serves as a board director for the Willamette Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. These organizations, she said, have shown her the value of building community and friendships with her peers.

Outside of work, Chrestenson said she and Dale value their quiet time together. She enjoys gardening, traveling, playing with her Silver Lab, Milly, and helping to cut and stack firewood on their picturesque farm.

“This country has given a lot to me,” she said. “Whatever I can do to give back to my community, I’m willing to do.

“Life is short,” she added, “so enjoy it as much as you can.”