SPARLING, Elizabeth Jean “Betty”

September 8, 1926 — August 4, 2024

Betty passed away peacefully in Kelowna, BC, at the age of 97 in the company of family. She is mourned by her daughter, Lynn; son, Ronald, and his wife, Martha; daughter-in-law, Jane; son-in-law, Mark; her grandchildren Beth, Laura, Julie, Cam, Brennan, and Mackenzie; and her five great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband of 72 years, Hamilton, and her son David.

Betty was born in Kingston, Ontario on September 8, 1926, where she later met her husband Hamilton. It was love at first sight, and they were married on September 22, 1951. Together they raised their three children in Prescott, Shawinigan, and Montreal. She and Hamilton moved to Oakville, Ontario in 1979, where they lived until Hamilton’s retirement. They spent the next 10 years travelling the world, before moving to Kelowna, BC, to be close to Lynn and her young family.

Betty was a loving mother who provided many opportunities for her kids to engage in sports, music, and academics. She was an avid curler, once making it to the finals of the mixed Quebec provincials. She also enjoyed painting, downhill and cross-country skiing, and spent many hours on the tennis court. Betty was a skilled craftswoman who loved knitting, quilting, and detailed needlework. She was a formidable opponent at the bridge table and a great reader who instilled a love of books in all of her children.

Her grandchildren always knew that at grandma’s house they would find a jar of cookies and a bowl of grapes on the counter, a treat beside their dinner plate, and a basement full of toys to play with. She never shied away from winning their many cribbage games.

Most of Betty’s summers were spent at cottages, initially at Buck Lake, where many holidays were spent in the company of her three sisters Thelma (deceased), Connie (deceased), Cheryl, brother Doug (deceased) and their families. Betty and Hamilton then bought an island on Lac des Seize Iles in the Laurentians where they spent more than 20 summers. A crowd of adults and kids could often be found eating, drinking, playing games and laughing around the kitchen table.

Throughout her life, she gave her time to many charities, most notably the Save the Children Foundation and Meals on Wheels.

As her family grew, and her children began to spread around the globe, Betty took it upon herself to keep them together by organizing family trips to destinations such as Mexico, Curacao, and several cruises to Alaska.

Betty’s presence will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

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