Elisabeth Christina Lieuwen (nee Koning) was born on June 5th, 1929, in Lloydminster Saskatchewan. Mom started life in Lloydminster but in 1930 moved to Freeman River where there was a new settlement. Farming proved very difficult there so in 1933 they moved again to Neerlandia, Alberta where mom’s dad managed the Co-op store and they could attend the CRC church. Mom attended school in Neerlandia until Grade 9 and did Grade 10 at Alberta College. In 1945 they moved again to Houston, B.C. where Mom’s parents bought a general store. Mom worked there as a clerk and bookkeeper for 5 years and then got a job at the Royal Bank in Smithers along with her best friend Evelyn Jaarsma. They would often hitchhike home for the weekends. In 1949 Peter John Lieuwen came to Houston and asked mom on a date soon after he arrived. They were engaged in Dec. 1949 and married Sept.10, 1952. Mom loved to play baseball. One morning after a baseball game she felt very stiff and this was the beginning of polio. Mom has always battled through tough times and recovery from polio took 20 weeks. Mom had 6 kids, 3 boys, 3 girls. These were busy years but when time allowed, she began to volunteer. First at the Houston CRC library where she took over Grandpa Lieuwen’s position as Librarian and then joined the Willing Workers fixing books at the Houston Christian School. Mom loved to knit, she loved to play board games, she loved her family and friends and most of all she loved the Lord. “I love the Lord and it is very important to me that my children, their spouses and our grandchildren love the Lord too. I pray for each of them by name each night. I pray for their needs physically as well as spiritually. We don't all go to the same church but that is not important, as long as we all accept Christ as our Savior.” In 2020, Peter and Betty moved to the Menno home in Abbotsford.
Betty will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Peter, and their children Irene (Dean) O’Neill, Richard (Annette) Lieuwen, Carol (Don) Haviland, Rose Stegenga, Brian (Betty) Lieuwen, Doug (Stephanie), 20 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her granddaughter, Michaela and son-in-law, Frank.
Special thanks to Dr. Nyvall and the Care Aids at Menno Home for their thoughtful and loving care of Mom.
A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Thursday, June 27 at 1pm at Gateway Community Church in Abbotsford. For the friends in Houston the Celebration of Life Service will be simultaneously live streamed to the Houston Christian Reformed Church
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Betty to either the Houston Christian Reformed Church Library [email protected] or the Houston Christian School Library [email protected]. Please include “in memory of Betty Lieuwen” in the etransfer.
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