ELIZABETH HENDRIKA NIESINK

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ELIZABETH HENDRIKA NIESINK On April 4, 2017, peacefully at the Deer Lodge Centre, Elizabeth (Lies) Niesink (nee Raben), aged 82, passed away. She is survived by her sisters Trees and Dini, her three children Marianne, Patrick, and Simone (Jim), her granddaughters Marys and Demi, and numerous nieces and nephews. Lies was born in Gaanderen, The Netherlands, on April 8, 1934, the tenth of 12 children. In 1959 she moved to Winnipeg to be with Gus, whom she married the next year. After working as a seamstress for a number of years, and teaching sewing at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, in 1975 she received her diploma from the St. Boniface School for Practical Nurses, graduating at the top of her class. She worked as a nurse at various places, including Children's Hospital, Misericordia Hospital, Manitoba Clinic, Central Park Lodge, Winnipeg Clinic, and Tuxedo Villa. She also continued her seamstress work at Margery's Designs. She was a talented singer, having won an award at the Winnipeg Music Festival, and enjoyed singing for 18 years with the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir, and as well, for many years at the Dutch Pavillion at Folklorama. She was an organizer and instructor for the Klompendansers, a Dutch folk dance troupe that performed at many places throughout Manitoba and North Dakota, and was also a Brownie leader for many years. She managed to excel at any craft or creative activity she undertook. She loved walking, knitting ("I am addicted to wool!"), playing cards, crossword puzzles, music (especially J.S. Bach), the art of Anton Pieck, and the many sleepovers with her beloved granddaughters. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She cared about many things, and about many people. She was kind-hearted, generous, and very social. She had a strong sense of duty, and almost always put others before herself. She applied her high standards to everything she did, and always encouraged others to aspire to excel. For most of her life, she suffered with anxiety disorder, which was undiagnosed until her senior years. From then on, it was well-managed with medication. As per her wishes, Lies has been cremated and a private interment will follow. A big thank you for the wonderful care received from all the staff of E6 at St. Boniface General Hospital, and many thanks to the Palliative Care team, and to the nursing staff at the Deer Lodge Centre. A very special thank you to Dr. Kim Wiebe, Erin Little, and Megan McLeod, for the compassionate care provided in Lies's final hours, as well as the support given to the family members. A celebration of Lies's life will be held on April 22, 2017 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Riverside Lions Estates, 188 Worthington Avenue. In lieu of flowers, a donation to CancerCare would be greatly appreciated. For those who wish to sign the online Guest Book please visit our website. CHAPEL LAWN www.chapellawn.ca  204-885-9715.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 08, 2017