Betty Jean Andrews

When she was a young child her family came west to settle on the last lot on Broadway at the foot of Burnaby mountain. She used to say “we had the whole mountain to play on”. With good grades and the promise of scholarships, Betty’s ambition was to attend university but her parents deemed it more “sensible” that she train as a nurse. A 1948 Vancouver General Hospital grad, she worked there for several years as a surgical nurse.

Betty met Eric at a British Colonial Survey Company dance in Vancouver in 1949. She said he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Her friend Midge used to say if you want good-looking children marry a good-looking man so she did and her four daughters are a testament to that theory. The early 50s saw the pair in post-war England still on rationing and when a job came up in Montreal they crossed the Atlantic eventually settling in Victoria. Betty went back to nursing and together they saved enough to purchase 1/3 of an acre of Garry Oak meadow where they built their house, raised their family and lived for the next 66 years.

Betty attended Camosun College in the seventies, taking courses in photography and art. She spent 5 months in Nigeria editing a Social Studies methodology book for primary teachers. Through a Canada Council Grant, she travelled to China shortly after the Cultural Revolution to interview artists & writers. In 1985 she completed a BA in Art History from the University of Victoria.

Betty was an active volunteer with the Status of Women Action Group. She chaired the Victoria International Development Education Association and the Docent Board of the Provincial Museum - travelling to schools and teaching museum programs for children.

Her astonishing creativity showed in everything she did. Betty designed her glorious garden with drystone rock walls painting it with texture and colour. It was constantly evolving. Her house is filled with artwork; her own painting and photography and others collected in her travels. Many of her best paintings were completed in the last three years. Betty also loved to cook; baking her own bread and always trying some new recipe. She travelled all around the province with Eric in their camper van hiking and fishing - painting and photographing - all the way to Anchorage, Alaska.

Mum had a “can do” attitude. She showed us that you can do anything you put your mind to. She encouraged us to experiment and learn. From the time we were children she would try anything. She sewed fashion from the cover of Seventeen magazines, Beatle suits, and flared Cher hipster pants. We can see her values in our children and our grandchildren. An extraordinary gift.

The family would like to thank Vivian for helping Mum to maintain her precious garden and Betty’s home support workers, especially Anna, Carolyn and Mary, for their care and friendship over the past six months that enabled her to stay at home with Max the cat.

Betty was pre-deceased by her husband Eric and is survived by her daughters Lorraine (Bob) Messer in Sooke, Cherrill (Andrew Yarmie) in Kamloops, Dianne in Cedar, and Elaine (Ron Beier) on Whidbey Island; her grandchildren Christine Messer (Tyler Schwartz) in Vernon, Karen Messer (Mark Slutsky) in Montreal, Arran Yarmie (Hitomi) in Vancouver, Lindsey Cocking (Dwane) in Victoria, and Adrian Cocking in Toronto; and her great-grandchildren David, Emily, Charlie and Haru.