James Tjon

With deepest sorrow, we announce the passing of James Christopher Tjon, beloved son, grandson, nephew and friend, after a long battle with a rare cancer. Through it all he never gave up the fight, and never lost hope that he would survive. From the moment he came into this world, James made it clear he would not be missed. He was boisterous, vibrant, smart, kind, and had a wicked sense of humor. He had a soft spot for animals from early on and seemed to be a magnet for them as well. James also had an amazing affinity for music, playing multiple instruments, listening to a wide variety of genres, and writing his own music for fun. He was a Lego-maniac from the time he was little and he continued creating and building up to the very end. He also was an avid gamer and had an extensive web of online friends, some of whom he met in person and turned into good friends. Growing up he always preferred being outdoors to being stuck inside. He loved swimming, hiking, camping, climbing a tree, going to the shooting range, or just enjoying being outside with friends and family. Being born and raised in the desert, he especially enjoyed a good rainstorm. Throughout his life, James always said that he was going into the military, specifically the Navy. At the end of high school he got an academic scholarship to NAU and decided to go that route first. And then the cancer diagnosis changed all his plans. In the last year James got a job as a civilian with the Phoenix police department and for the short time he was there, he loved it. He told us many times how much he enjoyed the work and how he felt like he finally had a purpose. Most importantly, he felt like he was part of the family and he was amazed at the amount of support he received in his final months from everyone there. Although James was only here for 21 years, he managed to brighten the lives of everyone who knew him. His humor, compassion, and joy will be sorely missed but his light will continue to shine in us all. As the line from a song from one of his favorite bands says “You only live forever in the lights you make” and James made a lot of lights. Good night, sir. James is survived by his parents, Christopher and Kelly Tjon of New River, AZ, his paternal grandparents Curtis and Mavis Tjon of MN, his maternal Papa and Mamoo, Dave and Bernie Newsum of AZ, aunts and uncles: Carmen of MA, Mandy of AZ, Stacey (Tom) of ND, and Jeremy (Tracey) of MN and too many friends to count. The memorial will be held on December 17th, 2022 at 11:00am at Peace Lutheran Church, 18265 North 89th Avenue, Peoria AZ. Please wear bright or happy colors, James was not a somber guy. In lieu of sending flowers, please consider donating to the Phoenix Police Department K-9 at https://phoenixpolicefoundation.org/donation-k-9. Please note in the "Write us a comment" field that the donation is in honor or memory of James Tjon.