We Remember
STEWART, Liisa Maria
August 30, 1930 — January 5, 2024
Our mom, Liisa Maria Stewart, passed away in Kelowna, BC on January 5, 2024, at the age of 93. She was predeceased by her first 2 children, Diane and Robert; her sister, Helen; and brother, Lauri; and her 3 husbands: Robert, Cyril, and Gordon.
She is survived by her and Cy’s children Susan Isaacson (John), Dee Govang (Dana), Tracy Todd (Rob); grandchildren Shane, Jason (Natalie), Kyle, Jessica (Michael), Terri, Brian, Diana (Tony), and Christopher; and great-grandchildren Sydney, Karleigh, Brennon, Lucy, Juliet, Aidan, Molly, Charlotte, Blake, Amelia, and Joslyn. She is also survived by her nephew Jim Kingwell, and his family, as well as other extended family members.
Mom was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. Her parents, immigrants from Finland, struggled during the depression so, as the eldest child, she had to quit school and go to work to help support the family. Her first job was plucking chickens for 3 cents apiece, and later, she worked as a bicycle courier delivering telegrams in downtown Vancouver. She was always a hard worker and, as an adult, held positions working in the financial world until starting her lengthy career with the federal government. While working full-time, she took night classes and obtained her High School Equivalency Dipolma, she was extremely proud of her accomplishment, as were her children.
Mom retired from her position as a Custom’s Officer in Calgary, Alberta, shortly after she met Gordon. The two spent many years enjoying their favourite pastimes together including travelling, square dancing, playing bridge, and golfing. While not gallivanting around the globe, Mom also enjoyed needlework, knitting, sewing, researching her Finnish family history, and attending Sunday church services.
She enjoyed picnic outings, spending time with her grandchildren, and she loved getting cuddles from her great-grandchildren. She was always up for a rum in the evening, or a cold glass of beer or two, especially when offered by her grandchildren. Her jokes, as lame as they were, put smiles on our faces along with her silly greetings when we showed up at her door.
She wasn’t afraid to be stern or feisty when she felt it was appropriate, but she was also soft and caring when we needed that most.
She will live in our hearts and memories for all eternity.
Our sincere thanks to the administrative staff at Mountainview Village Complex Care, and a special thanks to the nurses and care aides in Cottage 2. We would also like to thank Chaplain Daryl DeKlerk and Dr. Koss for the friendship and care you gave to Mom.
A private family memorial will be held in Victoria, BC at a future date.
If you wish to send a condolence, post photos, or share a memory, please scroll down the page to the area called “Condolences”.
Thank you for sharing this lovely story of your Mom’s life. I had the pleasure of meeting her as a volunteer at Mountainview Village. My grandparents had also emigrated from Finland, and my father worked as a Customs Officer at Vancouver Airport for several years. Although your Mom’s memory was somewhat compromised when I met her, we still connected on many levels. She was sharp as a tack every time we played crib and won more than her share of the games. Unfortunately, since Covid changed our lives, I was not able to see Liisa very much. May your fond memories of her keep her close in your hearts.