February 15, 1933 – March 28, 2020

 It is with great sadness and gentle relief that the family of Kathleen A Betts announces her passing on March 28, 2020 at the age of 87 years. She has returned home to be with her Lord and Saviour.

Kathleen will be lovingly remembered by her siblings; Jim (Helen) Betts, Ed (Gloria) Betts, Marg Leroux, all of her nieces and nephews, and her great-nieces and great-nephews.

Kathleen was predeceased by her father, Clarence Betts, mother Katherina (Kovacik) Betts, and sister, Mary Betts.

On February 15, 1933 Kathleen was born, the first of five children, to Katherina and Clarence Betts in Lethbridge, Alberta and grew up on a farm in Coutts, Alberta. At age 18 she attended Holy Church Hospital and completed three years of training to become an RN, graduating in 1955.

In the 1960’s, she travelled, working in different cities in California. When it was time to renew her passport, Kathy decided to fly to Rome, Italy to work as an RN at a boy’s academy for three years. During the summer vacations, she would travel Europe, and visited her mother’s home country of Slovakia, in Radosina and Plestany, where she came to know aunts, uncles and cousins who still resided there.

In the late 1960’s Kathy came back to Canada via ship, with all her Italian belongings, to Vancouver and travelled home to Coutts, AB to help with her ill father. Soon after her arrival, she rolled her car and fractured a vertebrae in her neck. After months of rehabilitation, it was clear she could not return to her career as an RN.

Kathy moved to Vancouver and returned to school in the 1970’s to study Social Work, which would be her career until her retirement in the 1990’s. She lived in Vancouver for a few years before settling in Vernon, which would her home through the rest of her life.

During Kathleen’s retirement, she spent the following years volunteering at Hospice, visiting people in long term care, making meals for sick friends and caring for people she knew. She was always a nurse and a care-giver at heart.

Kathleen was very generous, and made great efforts to support charitable causes that were meaningful to her, to help those who were less fortunate.

Special thanks to Dr. Spencer, Marcel and Bev, Lorna, Cheryl, Dianne and Steve and the Home Care nurses, friends, family and countless others for all of their support and care for Kathleen during the past months/years.

A mass and prayers for Kathleen Betts will be announces at a later date when services resume at St. James Catholic Church.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vernon Funeral Home, Phone: 250 542 0155

Condolences may be offered at www.vernonfuneralhome.com