Dr. Sarah Jane Tjioe

Sarah grew up outside of Philadelphia as the only child of a single mother. She took education seriously from an early age and earned admission to the University of Pennsylvania. She was proud to earn a PhD in pharmacology from Penn, and she was perhaps even prouder to overcome her fear of water to pass the university’s compulsory swim test. Sarah channeled her passion for education into a long and accomplished career as a medical school pharmacology professor. She instructed countless future physicians during her 30-plus years on the faculty at Ohio State University, and 7 years at The Lake Erie College of Medicine.

At Penn, Sarah met and fell in love with fellow graduate student Gim Tjioe. They were married in 1967 and continued to love each other for over 50 years, until his passing in 2022. She and Gim had two children, Susan and James. Sarah set high expectations for her children, but she also did everything in her power to help them succeed. She loved her family tirelessly, and she even found the energy to care for the various pet dogs, birds, lizards, gerbils, fish and frogs that her family brought into their home.

Sarah was also an avid gardener, a doting grandmother to her four grandchildren, and a generous friend to many. She battled more than her fair share of health issues late in life, and she always made the best of her situation. In her later years, she was passionate about monarch butterflies, and planted food for them everywhere she lived.

Sarah is survived by her children Susan Tjioe (married to Simon Gaunt) and James Tjioe (married to Lisa Tjioe); and her four grandchildren Ethan, Conor, Caroline, and Olivia.

A celebration of life for Sarah will be held Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Robert Toale & Sons Celebration of Life Center, 4310 Solutions Lane, Bradenton, FL 34211.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to https://donate.nationalmssociety.org/campaign/In-memory-of-Dr--Sarah-Tjioe