Christina Bals Heath's Obituary
Christina Gerarda Bals Heath was born on 9 July 1940 to Herman Anthonius Arend Bals and Johanna Dina Bals-Nugteren in the Hague, the Netherlands and was affectionately known as Stientje or Stien. She was the eldest of three sisters. Christina and her family survived the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. They were hiding Jewish and other people and her father was a part of the Dutch Underground. Christina was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on 19 July 1958. She emigrated to the United States in 1962 and attended Brigham Young University. Christina left for the Franco-Belgium mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on 9 October 1963. Christina married Robert "Craig" Lambdin Heath on 21 December 1965 in the Los Angeles, California Temple. She went on to have three biological children and adopted two children. She later divorced and went back to Brigham Young University and double majored in psychology and German and received another degree in music theory. Christina served a second mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1991 in the Washington, D.C. Temple. She had many jobs that she enjoyed but by far her favorite was being the Patient Advocate at the Utah State Hospital. She was a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and was passionate about working with and advocating for the mentally ill. Christina loved music and played the piano beautifully. She was also an avid reader and had a large library in her home. Christina was one of the most stubborn people on earth but also one of the most empathetic. Everyone that met her loved her and she was always there for anyone when they needed emotional support. Christina was also very proud of her Dutch heritage and made sure everyone knew it. She loved her family and always bragged about how special her grandchildren were to her. Christina passed away peacefully on the evening of Wednesday, 19 September 2018. Christina was preceded in death by her parents, her daughter Becky Heath, her daughter-in-law Keena Heath and her grandson Skyler Gardner. She is survived by her two younger sisters, Maria Bals and Gerda Bals, her son Daniel Heath, daughter Wendy (Blake) Gardner, son David (Karyn) Heath and daughter Rachel (Charles) Sabodski and 11 grandchildren as well as her cousins Christina Huijgens-Westermann and Else Hijmans van der Bergh-Westermann, both residing in the Netherlands. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held for Christina at her LDS ward at 860 East 200 North, Springville, Utah on Saturday, 29 September 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
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