Eva Maria Lankhorst, 84, of Salina, passed away Friday, January 29th, 2021.

Eva was born in Bandung, Indonesia (Formerly the Dutch East Indies), on September 9, 1936, a daughter of the late Christine Adele (Poth) and Henk Gortz. After World War II, her family moved to Holland, where she finished high school and then attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Eva married Han Lankhorst and moved to the United States in 1960, eventually settling in Salina, Kansas in 1977. She became a U.S. citizen in 1984.

Eva found her church home at Trinity United Methodist Church. Her many contributions included summer art classes, Indonesian dinners, the community art wall, and her greatest passion-the organic community garden. Eva was an accomplished painter, having two winning pieces featured in the Presbyterian Homes Art is Ageless calendar. She has paintings in homes and businesses around the country.

As a child, Eva knew how to find beauty and joy in the simplest of life’s experiences, including taking every opportunity to enjoy all that the natural world has to offer. It surrounded her in childhood and was later captured in her many paintings. As an adult, Eva was often described as being a child at heart-honest and genuine, and always finding the good in people. She enjoyed all the things her children enjoyed: collecting, building snow castles, and nurturing the creative spirit through music and art.

Eva had great love for her family, as well as the many close friends who were treated like family. In the words of her husband, Han, “Eva had the biggest heart you can imagine. She loved and accepted everyone. In turn, she was loved by all who knew her.”

Survivors include her husband, J. Han Lankhorst; two daughters, Carola Collier (Michael), of Santa Clarita, California, Christel Brosi (Paul), of Salina, two sons, Alex Lankhorst (Julia), of Salina, Les Lankhorst (Lori), of Salina; and a sister, Constance Vandervegt, of Denver, Colorado.

She is also survived by grandchildren, Christopher Collier, Jordan and Shelbi Lankhorst, Monica, Caitlin, Sarah, Christian and Dominic Brosi; and great grandchild, Lyric Jacobs.

She is preceded in death by her brother, Henk Gortz.

Cremation has been chosen and services will be private.

Donations may be made to the Friends of the Salina Animal Shelter, sent in care of Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home, 500 S. Ohio St., Salina, Kansas 67401.

To send an online condolence, visit www.carlsonfh.net.