Loving mother and wife, Elizabeth Jamieson (Betty) Kennedy, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2009 at The Hillside Village in Salmon Arm. Betty was a long time resident of Salmon Arm.
Betty was born in Glasgow, Scotland on January 15,1929 to Peter and Amelia Smith.
She married James Gerard Kennedy on April 12,1951 and after a honeymoon in Belgium they settled down together in Glasgow.
Betty worked for many years there as a telephone operator at the Glasgow Central train station.
In 1967 Betty moved with her family to Wembley, Alberta. She found work in the Grande Prairie plywood plant.
In 1968 the Kennedys moved to Salmon Arm where Betty found Shuswap Lake to be very like Loch Lomond.
In Salmon Arm and later in Vernon, Betty again worked as a telephone operator delighting many of her customers with her clear Scottish accent.
Betty was active in the St. Joseph’s parish both as a longtime member of the church choir and a past president of the Catholic Women’s League.
Betty was a kind and compassionate person. These qualities enabled her to function effectively as a Shuswap Homemaker, a role that gave her tremendous satisfaction. She believed strongly in working hard, telling her family often, “ If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well!”
Betty was an accomplished seamstress who enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting and making clothes for her grandchildren. She made many of her own clothes as well, usually decorating them with a wee bit of tartan.
She loved to garden and was known to spend many summer days nurturing her flowers.
Betty lost her husband James G. Kennedy (Jim) on July 12, 2008.
She is survived by her twin sons, Paul Kennedy (Jane) of Salmon Arm and Gerard Kennedy (Birgitta) of Stockholm, Sweden and her daughter Siobhan Irwin (Dave) of Lacombe, Alberta.
Betty leaves behind her grandchildren Devon Kennedy and Jessica and Corey Irwin. Betty is also survived by her twin sister Jean Burke and sister Pearl Welsh, both of Glasgow, Scotland, and many nieces and nephews.
Betty was preceded in death by her sisters Helen MacKechnie, Nan Macleod and Minnie Whitelock.
An open funeral service will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Salmon Arm at 11:00 a.m. Friday January 23.
Fishers Funeral home are taking care of the arrangements.
Betty spent her last years at The Good Samaritan Hillside Village in Salmon Arm, and thought of it as her home. For making our Mom feel that way and for the wonderful care given by the nurses and staff, the family is eternally grateful.
Betty was greatly loved and will be missed by all.