Roy Luyendyk

The family of Roy Luyendyk of Water Valley, Alberta, sadly announce Roy’s passing on early Thursday morning, January 29, 2026, at the age of 95 years. Roy lived and loved life with an abiding hope in the promises of God. Along with him we as family are confident he is now enjoying freedom from a failing mind and body; that he is experiencing the presence of the Lord.

Roy was husband and lover to his wife, Jean (nee Burkholder) of 61 years. The two of them were rarely to be seen without the other – in work, in play, in their convictions, in their interactions with others – Roy and Jean were that kind of a team.

Roy was also dad to his many children, adopted and non-adopted: Colleen, Kelly, Bruce, Greg, Timothy, Lisa, David, Anne, Stephen, Catherine, Raechel, Mark, Joshua, Benjamin, Loralee, Rebecca, Peter, Matthew, Nathan, Michael, Luke, John, Esther, Susanna, Elizabeth, Sarah and Jason. Of course, many of his kid’s spouses have called and considered Roy as “Dad”, and the next generation has grown to call him “Grandpa” and “Great Grandpa”.

Roy was born and grew up in southwest Calgary along with two older brothers. Roy enjoyed country school life and always had the dream of someday buying his own little farm. He started out gaining a reputation as a young man by training horses for other people. After his father died in 1952, Roy left Olds College and took up carpentering to help support his mother. In 1956, an opportunity came along to purchase a half section of land west of Cremona and Roy began his family there. That piece of land was always in his blood. Over the years, Roy and Jean brought many others into their growing family, determined to help as many troubled and needy young people as possible. The farm morphed into Cremona Valleyview Children’s Homes and then years later in 1998 evolved again into what today is called Rivers Edge Camping Association.

Roy enjoyed building and creating. He loved skits and lots of laughs. He looked forward to camping and working with his horses. Roy was a stubborn and focused man; he often exasperated his kids and made his neighbors scratch their heads. But he was loved and respected for who he was.

Roy is predeceased by many of his contemporaries, by his brothers Walter and Anton, by his wife Jean, and by three of his children, Colleen, Timothy and Rebecca.

The family wishes to express their sincere thanks to the wonderful staff at Bethany Care in Didsbury and, previously, Chinook Winds Lodge in Carstairs for the compassionate care they gave Dad in his final years. A Celebration of Life for Roy will be held on Wednesday, February 4th at 11:00 am at Rivers Edge Frontier Hall, with a luncheon to follow.