Mary "Betty" Elizabeth Williams MB, ChB, FRCPC

past week. Betty’s husband, Thomas Williams, passed away in 2006, and they are now together

once again. Betty was immensely proud of her four children, Howell (Sylvie), Dorothy, Anne

(David) and David (Kristi) and her nine grandchildren, Simon, Pierre-Marc, Seanna, Leah,

Thomas, Meaghan, Michael, Katherine and Jonathan as well as many nieces and nephews in

Canada, England and Wales.

Betty was born Mary Elizabeth Shepherd on August 28 th 1927 in Whitchurch, England. She and

her family later moved several kilometers north to the Liverpool area, living across the Mersey in

Birkenhead. During World War II, she was relocated with her two sisters due to frequent wartime bombings. After the war, she returned to Birkenhead. She had always dreamed of a career in medicine and entered medical school at the University of Liverpool. She was one of four female students in a class of 150.

After completing medical school, as a House Office in the Royal Liverpool Infirmary, she met her

soon-to-be husband, Tom. They shared tea and toast after an appendectomy and they were

engaged 6 weeks later.

Tom and Betty immigrated to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1957. Betty worked in the

Provincial Laboratory for Public Health in Edmonton as a Virologist before taking time away from her career to raise her family. After 22 years away from medicine, she fulfilled another one of her dreams by successfully completing a residency in Anatomical Pathology at the University of Alberta, a program that she entered when she was in her 50s.

Betty maintained a strong marriage and raised a wonderful family. She fostered incredible

friendships and was well known for her dinner parties and culinary talents.

Our mother was a pioneer while demonstrating admirable modesty. Her personal example of

courage, hard work, intelligence, and care for family has influenced all her children and

grandchildren in everything that they do. Her belief in service to others and the community

continues to be a driving force in all our lives.

We would like to recognize the incredible efforts of all the staff at the South Terrace Continuing

Care Centre who loved and cared for our mother over the past seven years. Thank you for the

exceptional and dignified care.

As per Betty’s wishes, a cremation has taken place. She was never fond of funerals and has

asked for a party in her honour later this spring.

We will all miss Betty. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend.

Donations in memory of Betty may be made to the Edmonton Bissell Centre, as she believed in

a community without poverty.