This Site
ABOUT THIS SITE
This started as a small, private document to be shared only with my family. I specifically wanted to share the info with my siblings and cousins (and their/our children), so that they could have all of the info I had about our grandfather, and so that they could also see all of the photos and memorabilia that I was given. It was the best way I knew of to share these items.
This document included what I knew, what I had, and what I found... But what I found were endless treasures of information and photos on the internet. And endless treasures of amazing people that STILL (in 2025!) knew who my grandfather was, and still admire and appreciate his work. The document was no longer large enough or organized enough to hold these treasures, so this website was born.
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Elsje Bos (oldest grandchild of Karel H. Bos)
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ABOUT THE URL:
I wasn't intending to have such a long website address. However, I used a FREE program, simply because I wanted this website to be around and accessible long after I am gone, long after I am able to continue to pay. WIX requires the format as it is.
ABOUT MY GRANDFATHER ("The Back Story")
My grandfather, Karel Bos, was killed when my father was just a boy, so I never had a chance to know him. This website is a labor of love, and a way for me to feel connected to him and to honor him.
By all counts, he was an amazing, loving, gentle, and deeply caring father who prioritized his children. I grew up hearing some stories about my grandfather, and my father’s life in Malang, East Java. I was extremely close to my aunt, Joan Helen Bos, who was the oldest (surviving) child of my grandfather. She considered me as her daughter (she never had children of her own), and I in turn always referred to her as my second mom. She shared a lot of precious family history, photos, memorabilia, and memories with me. Unfortunately, after she passed, I had many more questions for which I have not been able to find answers. I will update this site as often as I receive new information.
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The biggest blessing in creating this website, is that as my grandfather was a prominent architect in Malang (and surrounding areas) I have been able to obtain much of this information from extensive on-line searches and trips down endless rabbit holes. While Karel Bos designed many residential homes, his most important contribution to the culture and history of Malang, was with some of the commercial buildings he designed. Many of these which have very proudly become iconic landmarks, and referenced by a multitude of people through published books, articles, on-line sites, as well as social media posts.