Elizabeth Vader Luiken Steinke a long-time resident of Grande Prairie, Alberta passed away on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at Pearson Place in Hythe, Alberta at the age of 92.

Liz was born on August 16, 1932 in Vogelenzang, the Netherlands. She was the oldest of six children. Liz immigrated to Canada in 1959. A city girl at heart, she lived in Toronto with her brother Gerry and his family where she worked at Crown Life Insurance. She later returned to Holland though not for long. The details are sparse, but Henk Luiken would be introduced to her through an ad. After some wooing, she would soon pack up and head back to Canada. Liz and Henk were married on June 30, 1964. They lived on a farm in Hawk Hills, Alberta. Although it wasn’t the city life Liz was accustomed, she had many fond memories on the farm with Henk and the Luikens. They raised their three children together until Henk’s death in May 1976. Liz and the kids moved to Grande Prairie in December of 1978 to be closer to her sister Audrey. In October of 1982 she married Don Steinke, they shared a lot of good years, enjoying drives and camping.

The highlight of Liz’s life was becoming a grandma/Oma to her five grandchildren and just before her 80th birthday a great grandma (Oma). She was always involved as much as she could be in all her grandchildren’s lives.

Liz was an amazing seamstress, a skill sadly not passed down as she had a “I'll just do it for you” attitude. She could do it all, but had a love for cross stitching and helping her daughter Debbie with her crafting business. Another one of her favorite pass times was going to the casino and playing the penny slots. She enjoyed this so much that she also loved playing fake slot machine games on the computer. Always joking she wished the computer could spit out the money she was winning. Liz also enjoyed Solitare and Mahjong. She loved reading. Always going to bed with a sliced apple and a “good book”.

Her family will always remember her often puttering around cleaning and dusting what was already clean by everyone else’s standards. No one could clean like Liz.

She would sometimes be found taking the occasional nap. When caught she would say she was “resting her eyes”.

Liz loved going for drives. Never wanting to be the driver and preferring to be the passenger looking out the window. When she did drive, she was given the nickname ”Lead Foot Lizzy”. This often happened when the right “peppy” music was playing like Abba or Boney M. The better the music the heavier the foot got.

She loved board games, card games and Dominos with her grandkids and family. A favorite pass time, especially when accompanied by some chips and dip.

Everyone was always so captivated by her stories of growing up as a young girl in Europe during World War 2. A time in her life where much of her resilience and “life goes on,” move forward attitude must have stemmed from. Liz was never one to complain, always finding the light in any situation or circumstance and staying strong through out life’s adversities.

Liz will be remembered as feisty and fun. She never missed a chance to goof around with her grandkids or laugh at a good joke.

She will always be remembered by the smell of Dutch soup and homemade buns, a cup of coffee with a squirt of whipping cream, a white blouse and a Dutch accent.

Liz will be sadly missed by her children: Sebus Luiken (Mandy Sherwood),MaryAnn (Dean) Sajtovich, her grandchildren; Megan Sajtovich (Matt Emms), Zachary Lapointe, Henry Luiken, Braden Luiken and great- grandchild Adalyn Emms.

She is predeceased by all of her siblings; her brothers Gerry, Henk, Piet and sisters Wil and Audrey, her husband Henk Luiken, grandson Kyle Sajtovich and daughter Debbie Lapointe.

A private interment memorial will take place at a later date.

Memorial Donations may be made in Liz’s honor to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation - Edmonton, AB. info@stollerykids.com