Kopi Sua last tombkeeper Aw Tong Han 

Portrait of Aw Tong Han

Aw Tong Han's son Aw Khoon Hock took over his father duties at Mount Pleasant Kopi Sua Cemetery but retired recently 

Aw Tong Han was originally from Anxi, Fujian. He migrated to Singapore as a young man and worked as a tomb keeper in the Kopi Sua/Mount Pleasant (Bukit Brown) area. He lived at 56 Mount Pleasant Road, where he and his family became closely associated with cemetery work such as exhumations, reburials, and related rites.

He passed away on Friday, December 7, at 6:50 p.m., at the age of 84. The wake was held at his residence at 56 Mount Pleasant Road, and the funeral procession on Tuesday, December 11, proceeded to Bright Hill Temple (Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery) for cremation. He was survived by his widow, six sons, two daughters, and many grandchildren and great‑grandchildren.

After his death, his children established “Chop Aw Tong Han” to continue and formalize the family’s cemetery-related services. Advertisements from the early to mid‑1980s show the company’s scope: Feng Shui–aligned tomb construction; exhumation and relocation of graves; cleaning and cremation of remains; arranging for ashes to be stored at temples, or columbaria; and handling announcements and rites for relocations. The firm listed project experience at Kopi Sua, Leng Kee Sua, Si Kar Ting, Bukit Ho Swee, and relocation projects for Hokkien-associated cemeteries, and it informed families when Mandai Hokkien Public Cemetery graves were due for exhumation. The business address and contact numbers used were No. 56 Mount Pleasant Road, Singapore 1129; tel. 2560227 and 2518115, with responsible persons named as Aw Koon Soo and Aw (Hu) Koon Jin.

Within the family, Aw Khoon Hock took over cemetery duties at Mount Pleasant after his father’s passing and later retired. Other sons diversified into non-funerary ventures, including Public Transport Services, Public Container Freight Warehouse Pte. Ltd., and New Era Trading Pte. Ltd. Notices from the period name the sons as Aw Koon Soo, Koon Thiam, Koon Jin, Khoon Hock, Ah Lay, and Koon Bee.

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胡坤树贤昆仲尊翁 胡东汉老先生逝世

南洋商报 (Nanyang Siang Pau), 9 December 1979, Page 46

〔新加坡8日讯〕大众运输服务、大众箱运货仓私人有限公司·新时代贸易私人有限公司东主胡坤树，坤添，坤进，坤福，亚礼，坤美贤昆仲令尊翁东汉老先生，不幸於十二月七日（星期五）傍晚六时五十分逝世，享寿积閣八十有四，製耗传来，亲友莫不同表哀悼。胡氏原籍福建安溪，少壮南来，奋发有为，克勤克俭，成家立业，现遗下孀妻六男二女及内外孙数十人，四代同堂，福寿全归。

兹悉丧居56号毛不里申路（咖啡山，No．56，Mount Pleasant Road），择订於十二月十一日（星期二）下午二时发引还山至光明山普觉寺举行火化，届时胡府亲友前往执绋者必众，将有一番哀。

The proprietor of Public Transport Services, Public Container Freight Warehouse Pte. Ltd., and New Era Trading Pte. Ltd., Aw Koon Soo, together with Koon Thiam, Koon Jin, Khoon Hock , Ah Lay, and Koon Bee, announce with deep sorrow that their respected father, Mr. Aw Tong Han, passed away at 6:50 p.m. on Friday, December 7. He was 84 years old. 

Aw Tong Han was originally from Anxi, Fujian. In his youth he came to Singapore, worked diligently and frugally, and established a family and business. He is survived by his widow, six sons, two daughters, and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

The wake is being held at No. 56 Mount Pleasant Road (Bukit Brown/Coffee Hill). The funeral procession is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 11, proceeding to Bright Hill Temple for cremation. At that time, many relatives and friends of the Hu family are expected to attend and bear the bier, and there will be a scene of profound mourning.

胡东汉号

挖掘坟墓工程

本公司专挖掘坟墓，収拾遗骨，或移棺重葬并代办理骨灰寄存寺庙庵堂或骨灰塔手续等服务。督造各种墓碑，包造墓工程。曾承包迁移河水山，四脚亭，麟记山及咖啡山等塚山之工作，经验丰富。茲万礼福建公塚之坟墓即将挖掘，如各界人士有先人坟墓在该塚山须挖掘者请与本公司接洽。

地址：新加坡毛不里申律（即咖啡山）门牌56号

Chop Aw Tong Han

Grave Exhumation Works

Our company specializes in exhuming graves, gathering and arranging remains, or relocating coffins for reburial. We also handle procedures for placing ashes in temples, monasteries, or columbariums. We design and construct all kinds of tombstones and undertake complete grave construction projects. We have previously contracted works at Bukit Ho Swee, Si Kar Ting, Leng Kee Sua, and Kopi Sua cemeteries, among others, and have extensive experience. The graves at Mandai Hokkien Public Cemetery are about to be exhumed. If anyone has ancestors buried at this cemetery that need to be exhumed, please contact our company.

No.56, Mount Pleasant Road off Coffee Hill Singapore 1129

电话：2560227.2518115

胡坤树胡坤进

胡东汉号

专造风水坟墓

代办迁移坟墓佛事启事

本号专造风水坟墓，代办迁移坟墓，清洗火化遗骨并安排寄存骨灰于寺庙庵堂等各项工作，历数十年，前曾多次承办福建会馆等塚场坟墓之迁移及遗骨火化与安置骨灰等，择时择日，洽理完善。

各界人士如有因塚场须迁移祖先或亲属之坟墓，请径向本号负责人胡坤树及胡坤进君接洽。

地址：新加坡邮区一一二九，快乐山路五十六号（MOUNT PLEASANT RD）即俗称加丕山，电话：2560227及2518115

Chop Aw Tong Han

Specialist in Feng Shui Tomb Construction

We also handle announcements and religious rites for grave relocations.

Our firm specializes in building Feng Shui-compliant graves and undertakes grave relocations, cleaning and cremating remains, and arranging for ashes to be placed in temples and nunneries, among other services. With decades of experience, we have repeatedly managed the relocation of graves from cemeteries such as those of the Hokkien Association, as well as the cremation of remains and the placement of ashes. We select auspicious dates and times and handle all arrangements thoroughly.

If anyone needs to relocate the graves of ancestors or relatives due to cemetery requirements, please contact our firm’s responsible persons, Mr. Hu Kunshu and Mr. Hu Kunjin.

Address : No.56, Mount Pleasant Road off Coffee Hill Singapore 1129, Tel 2560227 and 2518115