Myrna Angela Gunawan

Myrna Angela Gunawan passed away surrounded by her family on Wednesday July 13th, 2017 after a brave battle with cancer. Myrna was born on October 18th, 1977 to Dr. Antonius and Nani Gunawan in Hackensack, New Jersey. She was 39.

Myrna was an alumna of Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Texas where she learned the qualities of honesty, compassion, and selflessness that she embodied throughout her life. After high school, Myrna attended Boston College where she earned degrees in Marketing and French, studied abroad in Strasbourg, and made many lifelong friends. She returned to Dallas briefly to start her career at Neiman Marcus but soon missed the excitement of the East Coast and so she accepted a position with Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan. What started as an intention to stay for 2 years turned into an 11-year adventure in New York City, marked by success in her fashion merchandise planning career at Henri Bendel and as an amateur food and wine critic of the city’s many establishments.

Myrna was an accomplished traveler from a young age with a strong commitment to book a new destination each year. In her lifetime, she completed 12 half marathons around the country which she herself deemed as “not that many.” She was celebrated most for her humor, loyalty, and the light and love she brought to all. Myrna lived a truly authentic and adventurous life. This was true, except in regard to condiments where ketchup had no place.

Determination, grace, and humility were words often used to describe Myrna. To no surprise, it was these characteristics with which she so bravely fought at the end of her life.

Her spirit is carried on by Dr. Antonius and Nani Gunawan (father & mother), Yani Gunawan (aunt), Leslie Gunawan Johnson (sister, husband Nathan Johnson), Jonas Gunawan (brother, fiancée Kate Cavanaugh), and her three godchildren: Parker and Sawyer Johnson and Juliet Watson.

Her family would like to extend special thanks to the staff at M.D. Anderson for their efforts. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests contributions be made to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation. (http://cholangiocarcinoma.org/campaign-for-the-cure/).