MILLER, (Reid)
Betty Eudora ---70
Betty passed away on October 17th, 2008 in Saanich Peninsula Hospital, near Victoria, B.C. She was the daughter of Moreen (Joyce) Reid and the late Kelton Reid of Amherst, Nova Scotia. At the time she graduated from high school she was thought of by family and friends as a mischievous tomboy never seen in a dress. A year later she surprised them all by appearing in a long white wedding dress and then moving to British Columbia.
While moving around B.C. she raised three sons. She lived in Port Coquitlam, Chilliwack, Sardis, Terrace, Port Hardy, Campbell River and Sidney. She worked as a bookkeeper, gardened, square danced and attended Women’s Institute; with Boy Scouts Canada she earned her Wood Woggle and Gilwell Beads and for some years ran a Cub Pack. She enjoyed playing, and excelled at, all card games and partnered with her friend Betty Evans she played tournament bridge; with her family she fished, hunted, canoed, back packed and sailed a 30 foot sail boat named “Mustard Seed”.
In 1987, following an early retirement, she gave away or sold most of her household belongings and moved aboard her boat. This was her principal residence for the next 17 years. 14 of those years were away from B.C. Accompanied by her husband she sailed the boat through the Panama Canal to Nova Scotia and then on to Europe.
She spent 9 years in Western Europe. In all she visited/lived in 23 countries, 5 provinces and 16 states. Her habit was to live aboard her boat for six months and then fly home to B.C. for six months. This allowed her to keep her grandmother fix up to date and be closely involved with the rest of her family and the many friends at home.In her own quiet way she was resolute in loving her extended family, helping others and living her dreams
She was a courageous LADY of significant substance. Besides her mother she is survived by Stan her disoriented (my earthly pole star is gone) husband of 52 years; son Stanley, grandchildren Brandon, Kirsten; son Kelly, (June) grandchildren Michelle, Reid; son Peter, (Brigitte) grandchildren Lovina, Julie, Sophie Emma; younger brother Anson (Ann); younger sister Lois Ann Rayworth; four nieces and five nephews. As well as her greatly loved father she was predeceased by her two “much older sisters” Joyce Myatt (Reg) and Connie McNeil (Carl). A celebration of this Christian lady’s extraordinary life will be held at the Sidney Pentecostal Church (Sidney B.C.) at 1:15PM May the 9th 2009. All her life she enjoyed “a bit of adventure”……on her last day she was still mischievous!