Preston Jean Death, Obituary – Elizabeth Jean Preston is the name. Elizabeth (Betty) Preston passed away on January 4, 2023, at the age of 80, and her family wishes to express their deepest condolences and love as they share the news with you. Ernie, Betty’s husband of 57 years, is the only person who will remember her. They created a life together that was centred on caring for their loved ones and giving back to the community. Together with Ernie, Betty brought up two girls, both of whom she loved without reservation and of whom she was extraordinarily proud. Both Kendra (played by Stuart Brooks) and Kathy (played by Tracy Kelso) loved her very much.
She was a devoted grandma to Erin (Nick Maclean) and Daniel Brooks, and she just just became a great-grandmother to Olivia. Olivia was her first great-grandchild. She had a large number of nieces and nephews spread out around the country, and they all adored her. The year 1966 was Betty’s year of graduation from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. She worked at pharmacies all over Manitoba and Ontario, from the smallest villages to the largest cities, and she was a dedicated community pharmacist as well as an advocate for patients. In 2013, she took her long-awaited retirement.
After she retired, she continued to work as a volunteer for the Ottawa-Carleton Pharmacy Association as well as at the pharmacy at the Almonte General Hospital. Betty volunteered her time in a committed manner. Betty was involved in numerous volunteer organisations over the course of her life, including Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT), Girl Guides of Canada, and the United Church. Her experience and commitment were also beneficial to the figure skating clubs in McCreary, Churchill, and Shawville. In recent years, the Almonte General Hospital has become the primary focus of her attention.
She was an active member of the AGH Board of Directors for a total of nine years. After that, she was a member of the board of directors for the AGH/Fairview Manor Foundation, a role that she only recently vacated. She felt a sense of pride for the Almonte Hospital and the significant contributions it makes to the town of Almonte and the surrounding area. In November of 2021, the AGH presented her with the Bert McIntyre Memorial Award in recognition of her unwavering commitment. Betty’s passion was singing, whether it was in a group setting or around a campfire. She found a great deal of fulfilment in participating in the choir at the United Church.
As soon as the news about Covid broke, she made up her mind to teach herself how to record at home so that she could keep using music to share her religion. Betty cherished the time she got to spend with her family when they went camping. She travelled the length and breadth of the country, stopping at campgrounds everywhere from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island. She found that time spent at Algonquin Park was really enjoyable to her. There was nothing more enjoyable than spending the afternoon paddling about Pog Lake in a canoe and exploring the various creeks and inlets. During the course of their lives together, Betty and Ernie moved into a total of eight different neighbourhoods and sixteen different homes.
Betty was able to quickly make friends wherever she went thanks to her outgoing personality and generous heart, as well as her genuine interest in everyone she encountered. She kept in touch with those people over the years by calling them, sending them emails and cards, and even writing them letters. The use of social media broadened her horizons, and she always signed her posts with either “Love, Betty” or “Love, Mom.” The C.R. Gamble Funeral Home has been given the responsibility of making the necessary arrangements. On Thursday, January 12, at 11 a.m., there will be funeral services performed in the Almonte United Church. After the services, there will be a reception held at the Civitan Hall. Donations to the Almonte General Hospital would be much welcomed in place of traditional floral tributes.
