It started out with the baby photo of Lim Swee Lian together with her mother, Yeo Ai Lin and her biological father, Lim Dwan In that drew me in to find out more about what happened to her after the rediscovery of the tomb of Lim Dwan In. Fortunately there were some information from the archive newspapers. Madam Lim Swee Lian nee Mrs. Oei Koen Hian passed away at the age of 40 on 11 September 2603 (1943). From the obituary notice, Mrs. Oei Koen Hian, only daughter of Madam Yeo Ai Lin (Mrs. S.K. Lim) passed away at the age of 40 at 170 Bencoolen Street on 11 September 2603 (1943) leaving behind her mother, husband, 2 daughters, and 1 brother (Lim Hap Hin) to mourn her loss.
From the tomb, we get confirmation on the names of her daughters;
R. Wee Kim Neo (Rosie Wee Kim Neo / Rosie Oei Kim Nei )
B. Wee Keng Neo (Betty Wee Keng Neo)
Note: The Christian names of her daughter i manage to derive from the obituary notice of Madam Lim Swee Lian's mother, Yeo Ai Lin and her brother, Matthew Lim Hap Hin which list them as Rosie Wee /Rosie Oei and Betty Wee. In the case of Lim Hap Hin obituary notice in 2007, it list Betty Wee as already deceased (which means Betty passed away before 15 May 2007).
Baby Lim Swee Lian with her parents and uncle (source: Sarong Kebaya: Peranakan Fashion in an Interconnected World) |
Daughter: Wee Keng Neo Betty
I found an obituary notice which matches the possible timeline. Wee Keng Neo, Betty passed away on 12 February 2007 at the age of 69. She is survived by her sister, Rosie Oei Kim Neo. This also means that Wee Keng Neo, Betty was only 5 years old when her mother, Lim Swee Lian passed away.
Rosie Oei Kim Neo |
Possible identity of Mr. Oei Koen Hian
There was an article in the Singapore Standard on 18 May 1955 that shows Dr. R.H. Bland (then Permanent Secretary to the Singapore Ministry of Health) pinning a gold medal to Mr. Oei Koen Hian (the only Chinese gold medalist for the ceremony) for reaching a number of blood donations.
Mr. Oei Koen Hian |
Location of tomb
Madam Lim Swee Lian tomb is located at Block 3 Division A, plot P128 (close to the tomb of Major Wee Boon Teng and his wife, Soh Gim Neo).
Tomb of Madam Lim Swee Lian |
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