Dr. Elizabeth Jane Styffe

Dr. Elizabeth Jane Styffe passed away on October 13, 2026, at the age of 66. Born on March 22, 1960, in Columbus, Ohio, she grew up in Orange County, California with four siblings. Elizabeth accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at age 6 and dedicated her life to spreading the joy of treasuring Christ in all of life, daily and into eternity.

In December 2019, Elizabeth was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Grade IV. Over the next seven years, she endured three craniotomies, 35 brain radiation treatments, numerous rounds of chemotherapy, and more than 75 MRIs. Through every trial, she trusted and treasured Jesus, glorifying God in her suffering. She believed deeply that Christ is more precious than health, more precious than time, and more precious than anything this world can give or take away. She surrendered not to cancer, but to Christ, and her hope in Jesus remained steadfast to the end.

Elizabeth was known for her gregarious personality and her warm, radiant smile. It was a true reflection of her genuine joy and Christ’s love for people, and she gave that smile freely to everyone she met, right up to the end.

Her life was marked by extraordinary compassion, faithful service, and a deep commitment to caring for others. Elizabeth was an RN, author, child welfare policy consultant, researcher, and associate nursing professor. Throughout her nursing career, she practiced in obstetrics, labor and delivery, and spent most of her career in pediatrics. In the 1980s, at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, she tenderly cared for the first pediatric patient dying of HIV/AIDS. Those clinical experiences shaped the course of her life and ministry.

Elizabeth went on to serve as director of the HIV and Orphan Care Initiatives at Saddleback Church for nearly two decades. She championed HIV prevention and worked to reduce the stigma of HIV both in the United States and around the world, including service as an advisor to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Her work reached 18 countries, and she especially loved helping mobilize local churches to care for vulnerable children and families. Rwanda held a special place in her heart, and she visited there more than 20 times. In partnership with the Rwandan government and local churches, she advocated for child welfare policies and trauma-informed training that helped Rwanda empty its orphanages. She worked tirelessly to equip churches with tools and training to help orphans become sons and daughters.

A leading expert in trauma-informed care for foster and adoptive children, Elizabeth was also a Trust-Based Relational Intervention practitioner and educator. She co-authored The Connection, a curriculum for adoptive families, with her dear friend, Dr. Karyn Purvis. Alongside her clinical and policy work, she devoted herself to teaching, serving on the faculties of Biola University, Azusa Pacific University, Cal State Fullerton, and most recently Vanguard University, where she was an associate professor of nursing. She was especially passionate about teaching spiritual care, death and dying, grief and loss, and child mental health and attachment.

Elizabeth attended Biola University, where she met the love of her life, Glenn, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She later earned a Master’s in Nursing from UCLA, a Master’s in Ministry Leadership from Rockbridge International Seminary, and a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Grand Canyon University. One of the joys they shared was taking every nursing class together throughout their bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.

At the age of 12, while reading Psalm 33:2-3, Elizabeth discovered a calling that stayed with her for life: praising the Lord with the harp. She went on to play professionally in more than 3,000 weddings, church orchestras, and album recordings. She and Glenn were also avid sailors who loved the beach and sailing from Newport to Catalina. Elizabeth often said that her idea of fun was teaching theology, and she loved studying God’s Word and sharing it with others. For many years, she taught a weekly women’s Bible study at Saddleback Church.

For all of her many accomplishments, Elizabeth counted being a mom and grandmom as her greatest work. She delighted in her children and grandchildren and poured her love into her family with the same faithfulness, tenderness, and joy that marked every part of her life.

Elizabeth is survived by her beloved husband, Glenn. Married on November 6, 1982, Elizabeth and Glenn shared nearly 44 years of marriage, a union that stood as a living example of Christ’s love for His Church. They loved one another faithfully through every season of life, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until the very end.

She is also survived by her seven children, Peter, Nathan, Rachel, Stephen, Noah, Zaina, and Erica; by her daughters- and son-in-love, Laura, Allison, and Jeff; and by her eight cherished grandchildren, Blake, Jason, Luke, Abel, Shepherd, Andrew, Ainslie, and Sarah. The love Elizabeth and Glenn built within their family remains one of her most beautiful legacies, and that love will continue to be carried forward by each of them.

A Celebration of Life will be held on October 24, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Saddleback Church, 1 Saddleback Parkway, Lake Forest, California 92630.

Elizabeth’s life was a testimony of faith, service, courage, and joy. She loved Christ deeply, loved people generously, and used every gift she had in the service of God and others. Her hope was in Jesus, and that hope now stands fulfilled. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.