Asria T. M. S. Kouttjie

Asria Kouttjie, 65, born in Indonesia, was dearly loved by many, when she suddenly passed. Besides her husband of 40 years, Frederik J. Kouttjie, she is survived by her adult children: Georgette Kouttjie-Perez and her husband, Lawrence; Charlotte Bondoc and her husband, Aristotle; Christian Kouttjie and his wife, Ana; her grandchildren, Kayla and Jonah Bondoc.

The eldest of seven children, Asria is also survived by all her younger siblings - Pardamean Sianturi and his wife, Dewi, of Toronto, Canada; Ida Sianturi of Fullerton, California; Bulan Sianturi-Fein and her husband, Craig, of Anaheim, California; Martina Sianturi-Rumbayan and her husband, Henky, of Buena Park, California; Erlinda Baten and her husband, Jimmy, of Buena Park, California; Ade Sianturi and his wife, Julia, of Calgary, Canada; nieces and nephews.

Asria's father passed away at the age of 47 years old in 1967, and as the eldest child in her family, Asria entered the work force at only 17 years old to help her large family (herself, her mother, and her younger six siblings). Immediately after her high school graduation, Asria secured a receptionist job, and was quickly promoted to become the main secretary at the Swedish Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. A few years later, she found a better job and position at the British Council in Jakarta. She became the primary provider of the family, helping her widowed mother provide for their large family of eight.

Asria met her husband, Frederik Kouttjie, in the church choir in Jakarta and they married in 1973. Shortly after, her husband graduated seminary school at the top of his class and accepted a Lecturer position at the School of Theology in Kupang. The married couple moved from Jakarta to the the island of Timor. On the island, Asria successfully found a job as the secretary of the World Bank Expert.

Asria once again followed her husband when he received a scholarship for graduate studies at the Melbourne College of Divinity and moved to Australia in 1982. She landed a job as secretary for Mission in Uniting Church of Australia. While in Melbourne, Asria earned and received an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree in Accounting from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

Four years later, Asria and her family moved back to Jakarta, Indonesia in 1986. She became a secretary in the United Nations Department Programme, in the Department of Agriculture. In 1987, she applied for emigration to America. Two years later, her application was accepted through the NP5 Program, and Asria and her family arrived in America in August of 1990.

In 1991, Asria applied and accepted a job as Administrative Secretary of Christ Presbyterian Church in Huntington Beach, California, where she faithfully served for 23 years.

In 1993, Jemaat Kristen Indonesia (JKI) Zion church was established (now Gereja Kristen Injili Indonesia Zion - GKII) of which her husband pastored, and she wholeheartedly served alongside her husband, where people first gathered at their home for church services. She not only served the church of her workplace Monday through Friday, she served her husband's congregation all days of the week, especially during the weekends. She took care of all administrative needs, accounting, bulletins, kitchen, counseling, worship leading as needed, and even Sunday school for her husband's Indonesian church congregation.

Asria proved to be a great humanitarian, always compassionate towards those in need. She became a specialist and an expert in immigration, providing crucial translation for all the paperwork involved and interpretation support for asylum cases in the Indonesian community. Her success rate with her immigration cases was 99.9%. She also adored every living thing and had a soft heart for small animals and an unrivaled passion for plants. As busy as she always was, she was a woman of excellence, always going over and beyond expectations, and made sure everyone she loved felt her love - whether by her cooking, her handiwork, her messages, or her smile.

Asria loved to sing and dance. She loved to worship the Lord by singing hymns and has been requested to sing at numerous events. She loved singing with her sisters the best. She also visited the sick often and would sing hymns to those who were sick. She was passionate about Indonesian culture. In her youth she was actively involved in performing in cultural dance events in Jakarta. Asria especially had a heart for her husband's subculture, the Timorese culture. She has been mistaken as a native Timorese and has been recognized by the Indonesian consulate in Los Angeles for her efforts and service of the Timorese culture in dance.

She resided in La Mirada, California, at the time of her passing on June 26th, 2014.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn, Cypress, California.