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Arij Langstraat Obituary
Reverend Arij Langstraat, beloved husband of Anja, passed away on February 1st, 2025 at the age of 88 years. He is survived by his six children, ten grandchildren, eight sisters and brothers in Holland,and several nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members.
Arij Langstraat was born in Overschie, the Netherlands, on August 16, 1936. The eldest of eleven children, he was a WWII Dutch Hunger Winter survivor. Arij worked very hard to become a respected educator in the Netherlands prior to his family’s immigration to Canada in 1966. He was an esteemed educational leader in Calgary and Southern Alberta, where he served as the Director of Continuing Education for Calgary Public Schools. From 1981-1991, he led many innovative practices in his role as a School Principal in Grassy Lake, retiring from education in 1991.
Arij dedicated his remaining years to being a leader of Faith Communities within the United Church of Canada. He served in Taber as a Lay Minister, and then answered the call to ordained ministry in the Coaldale and Raymond pastoral charge, retiring again in 2001. In his second retirement, Arij ministered in the Bow Slopes and Rolling Hills pastoral charge, and was an Associate Professor of French at the University of Lethbridge for several years, until his final retirement in 2014.
As a community leader, Arij was a Candidate in two Provincial Elections and served as the Mayor of the Village of Grassy Lake from 1981-1992. Arij devoted his considerable skill set to community building in many locales, dedicating himself to numerous boards and committees. In 2012, Arij was recognized as a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for having made significant contributions to Canada and his communities.
Arij had a lifelong passion for communing with nature and enjoying the outdoors, relishing his time camping with his family. He loved painting, often gifting his family members with his beautiful works of art. Always captivating, Arij loved spending time sharing stories with his children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed music, attempting to learn piano and clarinet, and enriching many gatherings with his wonderful singing voice. Even into his final days, Arij would entertain on his harmonica, or sing along with well known songs and hymns.
Arij was the eternal optimist. He always said “life is too short to be miserable.” He will forever be remembered as someone who loved deeply and cared for others.
A Memorial Service will be held at Scarboro United Church, 134 Scarboro Avenue, Calgary on February 8th at 2:00 PM.
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August 16 1936 February 1 2025 88 Years Old
Death notice for the town of: Calgary, Province: Alberta
death notice Arij Langstraat August 16 1936 February 1 2025 88 Years Old
obituaries notice Arij Langstraat August 16 1936 February 1 2025 88 Years Old
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Arij Langstraat August 16 1936 February 1 2025 88 Years Old and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
