Anthony "Tony" Michael Tjwan-Gie Kam, passed the morning of July 14, 2020, with his wife by his side. He was born in Solo, Indonesia on April 28, 1938. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nora, children Dave (Kristi Hameedi), Paul (Kristi), Steve (Joee), Eric (Sheri), Daniel "Matt", Andy (Melissa), nine wonderful grandchildren, Michael, Rey, Clarissa, Genevieve, Annaliese, Amelia, Harrison, Elijah and Emily and his sister Lenny Singgih. Tony also leaves behind many dear friends and extended family in Michigan, North America, Europe, and Indonesia. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Liang Tie Kam, Jusuf Kamarga, Tjwan-Sing Kam, Tjwan-Sien Kam and two sisters Lian-Tjoe Lim and Hoei-Tjoe Tan.
Tony lived out his dream of coming to America. He knew that the United States would provide a better life and better career opportunities for him and his family. The journey began in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1968 when he, at the age of 30, Nora and three of his young children left Indonesia. Their first stop was The Netherlands, then above the Arctic Circle in Stokmarknes, Norway. In 1970, he and his young family immigrated to the United States, and after a brief stay in Pittsburgh, PA, the family settled down and grew in Grand Rapids, MI. It was at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Rapids where Tony completed his surgical residency in 1975 and started his career as a general surgeon. Also, in 1975, Tony and Nora became naturalized US citizens. Along the way, he found that his faith, friends, and family were the sustaining forces that helped him weather life's challenges. He was very proud of the many and varied accomplishments of his children and grandchildren whom he loved dearly.
Tony and Nora were parishioners at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Kentwood, MI. Prior to that, they were active members of the faith communities at St. Charles of Borromeo Catholic Church in Greenville, MI and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, MI. Tony was active in the Knights of Columbus; an honored "Sir Knight" Fourth Degree member.
Tony had a passion for languages and learning new languages. He learned to speak and write in Norwegian while living in Norway. He was fluent in Indonesian, Javanese, Dutch, and English. After his retirement in 2008, he began to learn and practice speaking and writing in Mandarin Chinese. Throughout his life, when able to find time to enjoy some of his favorite activities, he could be found outdoors fishing, cross-country skiing, golfing, hunting, or exploring new places. He liked traveling with Nora, especially to visit with friends and family in places like The Netherlands and Indonesia. Tony and Nora made religious pilgrimages to places such as Lourdes and Medjugorje. Among his favorite trips was his recent tour of The Holy Land with Nora in 2019.
A celebration of his life will be announced when it is safe for everyone to freely gather again. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution in Tony's name to Catholic Relief Services (CRS.org) or Doctorswithoutborders.org.