Elisabeth (Pouw) Kikstra

Elisabeth Kikstra 1923 – 2024

Mom was born in Voorthuizen, The Netherlands on September 16, 1923, the third child, and another girl, of eventually seven children. She was very independent, as at the age of 12 she left home to attend private school. She stayed with an aunt at that time. From a young child she was always strong headed and was even nicknamed “pe,” short for “pestkopje” (pest) by her siblings.

At the age of 19 she started her nursing career and now she could really be independent. She even did a year of nursing in Indonesia. When her older sister, Coob and her husband immigrated to Canada, she followed to make sure they were alright. Life was good there so she decided to stay, working in Lacombe, Rimbey, and Rocky Mountain House as a nurse.

Through the Dutch youth group, she met a dashing young man by the name of, Klaas Kikstra. They were married on May 7, 1952 in the Christian Reformed church in Rocky Mountain House. The first couple to wed there.

She continued nursing until her second child was born and then became a stay at home mom and four more children followed. She was very proud of all her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. There was never any lack of adventures with Mom, Oma, or Ommi.

Dad passed away in 1981 and then Mom‘s legacy really started; her letter writing. She wrote thousands of cards of encouragement. The greatest number written was over 1700 cards in one year. After 22 years of being by herself, at the age of 80, she married Klaas Boskers, and moved to Lacombe. He passed away October 2018.

Mom’s encouragement wasn’t just in letters, it was also in her nightly phone calls to her children. How those calls, and short and sweet “I love you’s” will be missed.

She was the last of her siblings. Mom peacefully went to heaven and her prayer of meeting Jesus came true on March 11, 2024. She was predeceased by her parents, all her siblings, her husband Klaas in 1981, and granddaughter Elizabeth in 1985. She is survived by her children, Johanna (Neil) Huget, Irene Kerklaan, Derek Kikstra, Jane (Gary) Hachey, Friedle (Wilf) Ebens, and Raymond (Wendy) Kikstra, 40 grandchildren and 55 great grandchildren plus numerous nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 2:00 pm at the Bethel CRC in Lacombe, Alberta. 

Live Streaming of the Service can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMj_NnKyW-Ax_3OlMsH2neQ

Memorial Donations may be directed to the Lacombe Christina School (LCS): https://www.lacs.ca/

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