Elizabeth Jean Pearsall

Pearsall, Elizabeth (Betty) Jean. Our beloved mother and grandmother died peacefully at Banwell Gardens her “home” since December 2010. She was born on January 2nd, 1926 on the family farm in Colchester and was the youngest child of Hattie and Charles Graham. All her life she was the baby sister to her brothers, Charles and Robert and her sister, Gertrude. She saw our father at a dance in Kingsville and the rest of the story wrote itself. They married July 1st, 1950. We (Charles, Patti, and Elizabeth) were raised in Riverside by our stay-at-home Mom while Dad worked in Detroit for Chrysler's. Sundays meant a trip to see Gramma Graham or Grandpa and Grandma Pearsall and even now Christmas is always spent with Joan and our cousins, Ted , Ron, Ken, & Barb. Our family was involved in the numerous activities of the Riverside United Church. Mom enjoyed her UCW group and playing euchre. Throughout our mother's adult life she faced and overcame serious medical conditions. Rheumatoid arthritis contorted her hands and feet and yet she continued to paint with watercolours with such a delicate touch. As we grew older, and Charles moved to Austria, Mom started her career as a gift shop owner with her friends. ‘The Gift Shop Down Under the Corner' gave her a chance to show off her artistic style and her warm personality won over the customers. In the fall of 1982 Dad became ill and Mom devoted herself to taking care of him right up until his death in 1995. Mom was able to indulge in her joy of visiting other places around the world with either friends or Charles and Sonja. But it was always her love of family that was the best part of her life. The grandchildren, Thomas, and Sean and Patti's children, Shannon, Aidan, and Ethan gave her hours and hours of enjoyment. As she grew older her body became less and less dependable but you would never know it. She never let it slow her down. There have been so many medical personal that whether they cared for her once or daily that loved her sunny personality. In the last several years, the death of her dear sister Gertrude and the death of our brother Charles in 2010 weighed heavily on her. She spent the last two years of her life in the hospital and the nursing home but still she carried on. While her body had long deserted her, her mind had not, and her heart was as strong and loving as it had been all the 85 years of her life. We will all miss her so much as a friend, mother, grandmother and the core of our family. Visitation to share in the happiness of her live will be at Walter D. Kelly Funeral Home, (1969 Wyandotte Street E., Windsor 519-252-5711) on Monday, August 8, 2011 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9. A service will be held at The Riverside United Church, (881 Glidden Avenue, Windsor), on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 1:00 PM with a fellowship for friends and family to follow. A private burial will be later. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer Society of Windsor or to The Riverside United Church would be appreciated by the family.