Atherton Monticha Obituary

Sadly, on April 29th 2018, Atherton Monticha of Castle Hill, New South Wales left us for a better place. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Atherton Monticha to pay them a last tribute. For the visitation and funeral service information please see event section below.
Monticha was born as Nareenuch Pram-on on 1st December 1967 in Bangkok Thailand, the fifth and last child of Suphranee and Siranual Pram-on. She grew up as an Army child initially in Northern Thailand and in her teen years in Bangkok. She respected and loved her mother and adored her father. For her life was her oyster until it abruptly was rendered apart with the separation of her father and mother. It was many years and under the encouragement of her husband that she reconciled with her father for leaving the family, but the event scared her for life and effected many things she did and the opinions she formed.
Monticha rebelled, started to live more wildly, started to smoke and linked up with a young soldier who sought to sooth her feeling of rejection born from the breakup of her parent's marriage. During this period she came home late one night and feeling thirsty drank from an unmarked soft drink bottle that contained what she thought was water - it was Hieter (bleach). Monticha recovered from the injuries but these came back in later life.
She fell pregnant and now hoped life would start anew with a new family - it didn't and her partner abandon her even before her child was born. Monticha gave birth to a daughter, and true to her very nature her whole focus was on the well-being of this child. She changed her name from Nareenuch to Monticha in an effort to shed the bad that had befallen her. After a short period immediately after Ninette was born, she lived with her step-sister in Surriburi, and as she gained confidence again in herself moved back to Bangkok to be with her mother. She worked in various jobs to help support her mother and her child. It was in one of these jobs, as a cashier in a restaurant and bar in 1991 that she met an Australian (Bruce Atherton) who was working in Bangkok. A friendship grew over a number of years culminating in a civil marriage at Bangrak Municipal Office in 1994.
Bruce and Monticha proved critics wrong and their relationship became a strong and permanent bond of two people who "were just meant to be". The two purchased a house in Rattintibet in 1997, and on completion of its construction moved in March 1999. She fell pregnant and immediately gave up smoking. She never smoked again. Monticha gave birth to a son Charkrit in September 1999. Charkrit was 26.5 weeks premature, but with the dedication only Monticha could give and support from her husband he thrived.
In 2005 a decision was made to relocate to Sydney because Bruce's father was in declining health, work was scarce in Thailand for foreigners, and Monticha wanted Charkrit to have as much opportunity possible in his education. Shortly after they moved, Ninette who had just given birth to her second child found herself abandoned by her partner and unable to support herself or her children. She could not be persuaded to move to Sydney so after securing foster care for Ninette's son, Monticha and Bruce initiated efforts to be able to care for Ninette's new-born girl Kittiyaporn. The persistence and determination she demonstrated in this cause came to fruition on 2 May 2018 when the Supreme Court of New South Wales granted an adoption order for Monticha and Bruce for Kittiyaporn.
They purchased a house in Quakers Hill in 2010. Monticha purchased a Thai Restaurant at Richmond in February 2015 in the realization of a dream, She ran this very successfully until her death. On 2 May 2015, Monticha was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She under went radio therapy to treat the metastasized cancer in the brain. This proved successful and gave new hope. She then underwent chemotherapy until her passing exactly three years after diagnosis.
Monticha was a loving and caring mother, and a supportive and loving wife. No one could ask for a better partner in life. Always with a smile, never looking for bad in anyone, and offering to help anyone who she thought was in a worse situation than she. Unfortunately late in her life and suffering heavily from cancer she and Bruce were twice robbed by unscrupulous persons at the restaurant, the later incident being by someone she had trusted and who knew of her illness.
Monticha had more than her share of ill fortune, and only the most callous and heartless could prey on her at that time.
At a time when Monticha had come to feel that she was now secure, life was good she was struck down and taken from this life. Far too young, and with so much love to give and so much wisdom that she could teach to others.
She will always live in our hearts