Elizabeth Irene Charlton

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Elizabeth Charlton, on January 30, 2024 at the Dykeland Lodge long-term care home in Windsor, N.S.

Bette, as she liked to be called, was born in Halifax on June 25, 1931 to the late Fabian and Emily (French) Bona. She attended Oxford School and St. Patrick’s High School. She lived in central Halifax her whole life before entering long-term care in 2020.

On May 8, 1951, Bette married Kenneth Charlton. Together they had five children and a happy marriage of almost 53 years. She was a loving wife and mother who devoted herself to caring for her family. When friends and family visited, she was always quick to offer a cup of tea and freshly baked sweets. She was also interested in her extended family; she kept meticulous track not only of immediate family milestones but also birthdays and anniversary dates of her siblings, nephews, nieces and cousins. She loved travelling to visit family in Ottawa, Washington, D.C. and Berlin, Germany.

Bette was an active parishioner of St. Theresa’s Church, volunteering with the Catholic Women’s League and the Altar Society. She also volunteered at the Palliative Care Ward in the Victoria General Hospital for several years, serving and comforting patients.

After her Alzheimer’s diagnosis and placement in long-term care, Bette displayed tremendous patience and grace in the face of her ailment. Although her faculties were impaired and she was unable to speak in the final years of her life, her eyes lit up in recognition when family members visited and she greeted everyone around her with a warm smile.

Bette leaves behind her five children: Gary (Clayre), Glenn, Barbara, Paul and Beverly; as well as her grandson James (Penelope) and great granddaughter Ashley Isabelle. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law Evelyn Comfort, Jacqueline Charlton and Marjorie Bona, and brother-in-law Phillip “Skit” Ferguson. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Bette was pre-deceased by her husband Ken; her grandson Timothy Cook; her father Fabian and mother Emily; and her siblings Beatrice, Dorothy, Cyril, Stanley, Dennis and Wallace. She was the last surviving member of her family.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff of Dykeland Lodge for their amazing professionalism, patience and kindness in taking care of our Mom for these past three years. It was such a relief to know that she was always in the best of hands.

At Bette’s request, there will be no visitation. A funeral Mass will be held on February 8 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, 6476 Bayers Rd. in Halifax, followed by a reception at the church hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia (alzheimer.ca).