Lena Vandeligt, longtime resident of Eaglesham, Alberta passed away peacefully in her sleep at the Manoir du Lac in McLennan on Thursday, February 9, 2017 at the age of 89.
Lena was born in Bakel, Holland on September 26, 1927. She attended school to Grade 8. She married her life-long partner Bill in Holland on April 15, 1952. Lena and Bill then moved to Pincher Creek and then made the journey north to the Peace River Country in the spring of 1955. They moved to Eaglesham in 1957 where she raised her family of ten children and worked along side with Bill assisting with the daily chores to operate their dairy, beef and grain farm, until they retired. Following her retirement she remained living on the farm. Bill passed away in November 2012 and then she moved to the Villa Beausejour in Falher in August 2013. She was deeply devoted to the Catholic Church and her faith in God. She was an active member of the Catholic Women’s League and the Seniors Centre Club. Family was very important to Lena, hosting and sharing many family get togethers. As the family grew with the arrival of grandchildren and great grandchildren her home was never too small to fit everyone in. She had a passion for gardening, she loved tending to her flowers. Every family occasion always involved playing cards, and you had to play by her rules, and we were reminded of this if we slipped up. She enjoyed her adventures to different parts of the world with Bill and family members.
She will be sadly missed by her children, Peter (Theresa), Martin (Rose), Gerry (Geraldine), Marianne (Dmitri Boychuk), Nellie (Marc Ouellet), Valorie (George Andreiuk), Betty (Leonard Despins), Alfred (Shelly), Gerald (Glenda), John (Darcy), 24 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, 3 step grandchildren, 6 step great-grandchildren, her sisters in Holland, Wilhelmina (Mien), Elisabeth (Lies), Gertruda (Truis) and brother Sebastianus (Jas), along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father Petrus, mother Maria-Anna, and 6 siblings in Holland.
The funeral service was held at the St. Francis Xavier Church, Eaglesham, AB on February 22, 2017 at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Francis Xavier Parish, Box 176, Eaglesham, AB T0H 1H0.