Luba Yewchuk

It is with much love and sadness we announce the passing of Luba "Lil/Lillian/Lily" Yewchuk (Holtby) of Edmonton, Alberta at the age of 88 years on January 11, 2025 after a brief battle with liver cancer.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband of 15 years, Edward "Ted" Holtby, and daughter, Heather Yewchuk, along with numerous family and friends. Predeceased by her, were her parents, Afanasia and Andrew, and siblings, Nick, William, Anne, Neda, Eva, and Lourie.

Born in Beartrap, Alberta, and raised in Ardmore, Alberta, Luba spent her childhood farming with her new-to-Canada, Ukrainian family. As an adult, she would venture out, living in Edmonton, Whitehorse, Yukon, and Calgary before settling down in northwest Edmonton. She spent her time actively raising her daughter on her own as a single mother and juggling the challenges of also working full-time as an Administrative Assistant with CN Rail at Calder, Walker, and Dunvegan Yards and the downtown tower.

Luba enjoyed travelling, cruising, outdoor walks, playing table tennis and board games, and volunteering at the Winspear Centre, Citadel Theatre, and Northlands. She enjoyed dancing and having lively adventures and debates with her girlfriends, sisters and cousins, watching curling, baseball and the Edmonton Oilers, and shopping for deals. Luba was especially known for being a connector of people: connecting friends and staying in touch with family members across Canada. In 2009 she married a fellow table tennis champion and the love of her life, Ted Holtby, where together they enjoyed travelling, watching sports, and playing table tennis.

Thank you to all the staff at St. Albert’s Foyer Lacombe Hospice, Sturgeon Community Hospital, and Dolar Drugs in Wellington. Special thanks go out to beloved Dolar Drugs Pharmacist, Theresa Wong; hospice LPNs, Remi and Holly; RNs, Morgan and Fate; Housekeeper, Sandy, and GP, Dr. Barbara Lorna Fischer; Alberta Health Services’ Home Care and Palliative Care RNs, Wendy Holt and Christina Sales, and OT, Jenny Cheung, and Caregiver Agency’s home care aides, Sam and Fowzia for their exceptional care, expertise, compassion, and communication.

We celebrate Luba, a vibrant woman of strength, generosity, creativity, and humor. A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, February 1st, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Memories Funeral Home 13403 St. Albert Trail NW, Edmonton, Alberta.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Foyer Lacombe Hospice (Covenant Foundation) or Sturgeon Community Hospital Foundation.