Trees L. Tjoa

Trees L. Tjoa, 81, loving mother, grandmother and sister, left this earth to meet her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, after a long battle with cancer.

Trees was born on March 28, 1939, in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia, the eldest of 3 children.  During WWII, in the midst of the Japanese occupation in Indonesia, they fled to West Java and were housed in Bandung with an "unknown couple".  Two months later, after the liberation from the Japanese occupation, they returned to Central Java; 50 years later, Trees' mother had taken the wife of the "unknown couple" into her home as a thank you.

Trees attended university in Bandung at the Teacher's Institute, where she excelled in chemistry and her other science courses.  She was not able to complete her studies as her parents needed her to help care for her younger brothers.  It was at university where she met Kok Hong Tjoa.  The couple married December 29, 1962, and started a family.  In an effort to give their young sons a better life, they left everything they knew and in 1971, moved to America.  They stayed with host families in Iowa City and St. Louis before eventually landing in Beloit, WI.

Trees worked for Regal Beloit as a computer specialist for 35 years, retiring at age 70.  After retirement, she spent her time volunteering at her church, Our Lady of the Assumption, Meals on Wheels and St. Vincent DePaul.  She was a skilled seamstress and baker, having won several dessert contests.  She spoke English, Dutch and Indonesian fluently and maintained friendships around the world.  She was always there for her sons, and there was nothing she enjoyed more than watching her grandchildren grow up.  She was so proud of them.

Trees also enjoyed spending time with her friends, "The OLA Crew".  They often went to garage sales together, had lunch or simply spent time together working at the church.  She was especially thankful for her relationship with Fr. Mike and Fr. Gary.  Both not only provided her with friendship, but also lifted her soul.  Because of them, Trees was not afraid of death.

Trees was predeceased by her husband, Kok Hong Tjoa, her parents, Hing and Lies Oen, and her brother, Benny Oen.  She is survived by her sons, Gwanny (Sarah) Tjoa of Beloit, and Adri Tjoa of Cedar Falls, IA; her grandchildren, Annika and Maxwell Tjoa; her brother, King Oen, of Switzerland, who was close to her heart and loved her greatly; special niece, Imelda, who lived with Trees while attending UW-Madison and who was always so generous and treated Trees like a mother; several other nieces and nephews, and her beloved Papillion, Daisy.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Trees will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Friday September 25, 2020 at OUR LADY of the ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2222 Shopiere Road, Beloit with Fr. Michael Resop and Fr. Gary Krahenbuhl concelebrating. Friends will be received on Friday in Church from 12 Noon until the time of service. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, any donations may be made to OLA in her name. Service will be live streamed on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/brianmarkfh/  Please share a memory or a condolence with the Tjoa Family on our website.

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