Betty Louise Tointon

Betty Tointon was born July 2, 1933 to Ira and Freda Brammell in McLouth, Kansas. She was the second oldest of four children, including her older brother David, and younger siblings, Judith and Roger. Betty had a strong relationship with her father who was the superintendent of schools, a minister in the Brethren Church, and teacher at McPherson College. Due to his strong influence on Betty’s life, education was very important to her and she followed closely in his footsteps in regards to her passion for helping foster a better future for youth.

Betty was a pioneer in the development of downtown Greeley, having opened Antiques at Lincoln Park in 1989, with a vision to enliven downtown Greeley and make sure the area was one the city could be proud of. She shared this vision with her husband Bob, and the couple continued to push for positive change in downtown Greeley to this day.

Betty Tointon was a special individual who took pride in enjoying the things that matter most in life; such as friends, family, and simply enjoying the moment she was in. Betty was someone who could light up the room with her smile, as some of you know, but she was also able to provide a personal touch that made people feel at ease when they were in her presence. Betty was a great wife to her husband, Bob, and anyone who was around the couple could see the genuine connection and love they had for one another. She was also a great mother and grandmother who was adored and loved by her family. Betty was a woman of high virtue and never cared for speaking any kind of negativity or picking on others. She simply enjoyed spending time with her friends and family, while also pointing out the beauty of life such as a chipmunk running across the deck, or a beautiful butterfly as it flew by. Betty possessed an amazing ability to accept people for who they were, while also finding ways to compliment just about anyone she came in contact with. She seemed to always have ways to comfort those around her and had a big heart for those in need.

One saying of her’s that stood out to me when I was dealing with a great deal of emotion at one period of time was, “Showing emotion is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of excellence.” This is an example of how Betty could turn what one was feeling into something positive, or something to be proud of. That spirit is one that I hope those grieving her loss can be consoled by because although we miss her, showing emotion for her loss is a sign that we genuinely cared for Betty and she genuinely cared for us. She would not want us to be too sad about her loss but instead to reflect on the good times we had and see her as someone who was an “excellent” individual to be around.

With that being said, I think we should close with a prayer that Betty would approve of. As fitting, we will open with a line she recited just months ago at the breakfast table and continue with a prayer of our own from there. In the words of Betty, “Heavenly father we look to the sky and give thanks for the joy of life...” we thank You for today and the opportunity to be around friends and family we love. Please give us the strength to overcome the loss of Betty Tointon and instead, to carry on the amazing legacy of such a kind and caring individual who is smiling down on us today, hoping nothing but the best for all of us in everything we do. Please keep her close to our hearts and remind us of the genuine spirit she had, always finding joy in the small things in life. We ask You to keep her safe and in Your presence as we seek to live out our lives in a fashion that our friends and family can be proud of. Thank You for giving us the opportunity to know Betty and call her a friend. We pray this in Your name. Amen.

Betty is survived by her brother, David and his wife Lorna; sister-in-law, Barbara; husband, Bob; son, Bill and his wife Janiejill; son, Bryan and his wife Judi; grandchildren, Monique Potts, Dillon Potts, Joe Tointon, Steve Tointon; and great-grandchildren Bryson Potts, and Peyton Lohr.

In lieu of flowers please make contributions to the UNC Foundation for the Tointon Institute for Educational Change, or the Women’s Fund of Weld County as Betty would be proud to continue to drive positive change in her memory. For contributions to the Tointon Institute, please make checks payable to the UNC foundation and reference Tointon Institute in the memo. Mail checks to 1620 Reservoir Road, Greeley, CO 80631. For contributions to the Women’s Fund, please make checks payable to the Weld Community Foundation and reference Women’s Fund of Weld County in the memo. Mail checks to 2425 35th Ave, Greeley, CO 80634, or to donate online go to https://cfsgwc.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list and search for Women’s Fund.

Special thanks to the caregivers and family who were by Betty’s side the last few months. You guys are greatly appreciated by Bob and the whole Tointon family.

There will be a public visitation on July 30th from 4pm-8pm at the Allnutt Macy Chapel, as well as a private grave-side service and a larger celebration of life at a future date when restrictions are eased from COVID-19. An announcement will be made as soon as details become available.

Thank you all. The Tointon Family.