Sandy Beach Motel owner, Elizabeth Ehlers, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on June 16, 2003.

Elizabeth was born on May 22, 1917 in Luebeck, Germany. At age 20, she joined a travel company in Vienna, where she formed lifelong friendships and had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout Scandinavia. In 1940 she married the love of her life, Erwin Ehlers. In the next five years their three children, Peter, Silka and Jan were born. After struggling to make a living in post-war Germany, Elizabeth and Erwin decided in 1954 to make a new life for their young family in Canada. In Kitimat, BC, Erwin worked at Alcan, and Elizabeth worked for families as a nanny and housekeeper. In 1957, Elizabeth was diagnosed with cancer and given 3 months to live. Her commitment to her family was so strong that she beat the odds and returned home. Erwin died in an industrial accident in 1961, and Elizabeth once again had to start a new life.

After searching throughout the Okanagan, she found and fell in love with the Sandy Beach Motel in Osoyoos, BC. For the first few years, Elizabeth worked tirelessly to renovate the cabins, create a delightful playground, and plant lawns and flowers. Her practicality, common sense and vision resulted in a motel that personified her unique style. Guests cherished Elizabeth’s eccentric touches like the colorful sheets and bedspreads. Sandy Beach became known for its arches, roses, cactus garden, quaint charm, and warm hospitality. Above all, Elizabeth loved children. Her greatest joy was to create a paradise for them and their families at Sandy Beach. Many guests will remember the Barbie parties in the sandbox. Elizabeth spent the winters making Barbie clothes for fashion shows. No one enjoyed their summers more than her 6 grandsons, who all have lifelong memories of their endless summers of work and play at Sandy Beach. In 2001, at the age of 84, Elizabeth officially retired and handed over the reins to her 3 children. They respected her vision of a family resort and with her advice and support rebuilt the Sandy Beach into a charming family paradise.

Elizabeth treasured her many loyal guests who enjoyed her friendship and hospitality for over 40 years. To her, every guest was special and she remembered everyone’s name. She loved to spend her winters in Mexico and San Diego with her daughter and family. She played Scrabble passionately. She played daily with friends or against Winston (her computer).