Nugroho Gunadhi

Nugroho Gunadhi (Tan Kuan Houw) passed peacefully at home in Austin, Texas, November 4th 2021, perhaps due to his legendary snoring. Gunadhi (AKA Nugget, Nugs, G-man, G, Houw, Meat Man, the Pusher Man) was born on a Sugar Plantation in Malang, East Java, the main island of Indonesia. The immediate family moved to Singapore where he attended the prestigious Saint Joseph’s Institution and Catholic Junior College. His claim to fame there was forging the cafeteria lunch vouchers (which he gave away free to classmates) and being the first to be expelled for intentionally failing 11th grade (as a symbolic protest against the education system). He earned his university degree in the UK where he took up long range target shooting as a sport. It remained his life-long pursuit, and he only needed to scowl at the neighborhood squirrels for them to know he meant business. It pained him to leave his insanely large family, though The North London Shooting Club became his home away from home. During his sixteen years in the UK, he met some of his dearest, life-long friends who he continued to send glittery Christmas Cards to for the rest of his life. From there he made his home in Austin, Texas. He was passionate about his work with Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, KMW, Andrew, NLynx, GENBAND, ThousandEyes and Cisco which let him tinker with all the technical things that baffle mere mortals. His colleagues became fast and forever friends. He loved travelling around the world, eating all the weird stuff he could find. In Austin, his good friend Scott Haram accidentally introduced him to his sister, Michele. They married in 1999, and went on to host vast swaths of Austin for twenty-five years. As many will attest, there was never an empty glass at The Beige Palace.

His many, many friends that spanned the globe and the decades, would say Gunadhi always had a smile, always there to help. He was the mischievous imp who always had the perfect recommendation, and the time to host any out-of-towner. He was also often voted the friend you’d most like to bunker down with in case of the apocalypse (if you had earplugs) because of his wealth of knowledge, engineering skills, and non-snooty sharing of any and all information that you need to live a good life. He had many hobbies, none of which he took lightly: photography, travel, all things audio, food and drink (especially the intricacies of Scotch), and the ability to make a computer from 1984 work in 2021. Gunadhi never did anything half-way, even canvassing and block-walking (despite being unable to vote in the US), and being the designated extrovert in any random gathering. More than anything, Gunadhi loved being with people and making them feel welcome and cared for. So much for being the consummate host, Gunadhi. You have left your guests behind.

He is preceded in death by his parents – Erna and Setiawan Gunadhi, and he is survived by his wife, Michele Haram, his brother Himawan Gunadhi and his wife Anh Nguyen, their children Vivienne and Kaitlyn, his godchild Georgina Roberts and her sister Roberta Roberts, his sister-in-law Lisa Davis, his chosen family Carolyn and Martin McPhee, and legions of other members of his large extended family including cousins in the US, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia and the Netherlands.

Please join us for a celebration of Gunadhi’s life. We welcome those that knew him to prepare a memory to share, or, if preferred, to give a written memory to the officiant to read. For those that have not been vaccinated, you can view a livestream of the service on the Cook-Walden website. Reception to be held outside under the oaks at Texas Keeper Cider, 12521 Twin Creek Rd, Manchaca, Texas following the service.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice. Gunadhi supported all things that help people and dogs, in particular the Capitol Area Food Bank, Mobile Loaves and Fishes, and Samoyed Rescue of Texas.

A memorial service for Nugroho will be held Sunday, November 14, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park, 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldenforestoaks.com for the Gunadhi family.