Marie Christine Betts

On a cold afternoon of January, the 2nd, a baby girl was born to Evelyn Mortimore of Vancouver, BC and Clayton Betts of Whitehorse, Yukon, Marie Christine, with lots of red curly hair. The family moved to the Grandview area of Vancouver, and in a few years, Christine attended Miss Isobel Bodie Private School for girls at 28th and Granville. She boarded there for 3 years and then attended Laura Secord School. Chris had a good upbringing in Vancouver and made many good friends during this time that lasted all her life. The family then decided to move to the up and coming area of Oakridge. There she attended Point Grey Junior High School and then Magee High School. After this, Christine went to Vancouver College and then completed her teaching degree at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia.

She started teaching at Brock, then Lord Tweedsmuir, then Sir Sanford Fleming and finally George T. Cunningham Elementary, where she taught grade 5. Her happiest times were at Cunningham with the wonderful staff, friends and students to whom she remained close. After retiring, her mother took ill and stayed at New Vista Care home. Chris started volunteering in the garden, providing pastoral care, and taking care of the support animals. It became her second career and another place filled with friendships that became lifelong. Her spiritual journey was greatly impacted by the wonderful ministry at Glad Tidings Church and the significant friendships cultivated there.

Chris enjoyed travel and imbued that to her nieces through yearly trips to Qualicum Beach as well as Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Alaska over the years. She was an avid gardener with the best green thumb this side of the Fraser Valley, bringing her talents to the gardens of New Vista. Chris exemplified servant leadership and altruism through her numerous volunteer commitments from childhood onward and her dedication to animal rescues and housing and food insecurity. Her thoughtfulness extended to all she knew with her bright phone calls and cheerful cards in the mail.

Left to mourn are her cousins Wayne (Shirley) Mortimore, Larry (Karen) Mortimore, Ken (Karen) Young, Joy (Paul) Connelly, Dr. Kathy Jenkins, as well as her adopted family: sister Rosemary (Alf) Trotter, nieces Julie (Rob) Tegelberg and Marissa (Michael) Wilkinson, and her three musketeers, grandsons William and Charles Tegelberg and Oliver Wilkinson, along with all her dear friends that outnumber the stars.

Heaven’s gate swung gently open,

The Master called softly, “Come,”

And you, dear one, took the Master’s hand,

And your work on earth was done.

We’ll never cease to miss you,

And shed many silent tears,

Because we cannot share with you

Our hopes, our joys, our fears.

But one day, in God’s garden,

When the Master calls us to come.

You’ll be at the gates with open arms

And say to us, “Welcome Home!”

Marie Christine Betts will be laid to rest at Ocean View Burial Park 4000 Imperial St. Burnaby, BC (location: Superior 95, 8.)