Betty was born January 29, 1935, in New Westminster, B.C. and passed November 13, 2016 in Salmon Arm, B.C. She lived a rich and productive life during her 81 years.
Born into a farming family, Betty was raised with a love of horses on farms in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Growing up, she had a beloved horse named Blossom. Betty left home at 17 and finished Senior Matriculation in Edmonton. She took her nurse training at VGH in Vancouver and graduated as an RN. She worked in Connecticut for a year before returning to Saskatchewan, first at a small hospital in Quill Lake before moving to Saskatoon.
She met and married David Riley in Vancouver, B.C. in 1963. They settled down in Sinclair Mills, B.C. where David was a forestry supervisor. She had two children at this time: Sarah and Ruth. The family moved to the Okanagan where two more children were born: David Jr. and Vicky. They moved to Malakwa in 1968, where sons Tobiah and Nathan completed the family. They have lived in Malakwa for almost fifty years, and in this time, Betty became an outstanding reflexologist. She has helped countless people through her gift of healing.
Betty is survived and dearly loved by five children, fifteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. A funeral service and celebration of Betty’s life was held on Saturday, November 19th at the Malakwa Elementary School, which was followed by burial at the family plot in the Malakwa cemetery.