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With much sadness we announce the passing of our dearly beloved mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Farrell, at age 104. She was born June 12, 1918. She passed away November 19th, 2022, at 1:45 am at the High River Hospital. Elizabeth (Lisha) Alina Geeraert was born at the Rockyford, AB farm home to parents Peter & Dymphina (Hamers) Geeraert and grew up in a very loving family where she was the 6th child of 10, 6 boys and 4 girls, and has been the last remaining sibling since 2019. She had 6 children, 1 boy and 5 girls, 27 grand, great grand and great, great grand children.
Rosalynn (Lynn) now residing in High River, had 2 children, Michelle (Micky) who died Feb 23, 2020, and Stacy. Her grand children are Lilly Flack and Daphne Flack.
Terrance (Terry) lived in Gabriola, BC and had 1 daughter, Holly (Mike Paulis).
Judy lives in High River and has 2 daughters. Kari (Todd Amlin), has 3 children, 2 boys, Dustin (Natasha) and Colton (Kallie), and 1 daughter, Kelsey (Bill Pelrine). Her great grand children are Payton & Walker, Reese, Callie & Jaxon, and Knox. Judy’s 2nd daughter, Dail (Jerry Howe) has 3 boys, none of whom have married yet, Donovan, Austin and Cooper. The boys have just attained adulthood.
Sharon who lives outside of Chetwynd, BC, has 2 children who are Bernie (Manny) Kanwal and Chad (Nadine) Yates. Her grand children are Kirsten (Alex) Fleming, and Brody Kanwal, Wyatt (Brittney), Shaelyn and Jada Yates, and her great grand children are Ember, Emilia, and Paisley.
Valerie who lives in High River, has 1 daughter, Brittany.
Hillary (Kevin) Gabie lives in Humboldt, SASK and has two children, Joshua (Sydney), and Faith.
Betty’s step-children are: Maureen (Tony) Grandison whose children are: Angela, mother of Mia, & Tyson Grandison, and son Daniel who had Alison and Daniel Jr.; Jackie (Stephan) Ploszak & Gerard Farrell. Her step grand-children are Pierre (Anaida) Poilivere, great grand daughter Valentina and great grand son Cruz, and Patrick Poilivere,
Predeceased children and grand children are Terrance Van Wezel and Michelle Schaefer.
Betty was first married to Tony Van Wezel in 1943, and it was Tony who nick-named her Betty. Tony’s family immigrated from Holland in 1912, They were booked on the Titanic but couldn’t board because it was already too full, so they took the next ship.
They originally settled on land east of Strathmore. The winters were brutal and they would have frozen to death if not for the kindness of the neighbours. Tony always talked about them. They finally moved to a farm on the #1 Highway, 2 1/2 miles west of Strathmore and farmed there for many years. In the fall of 1961, Tony and Betty sold the farm and moved to a home in Kelowna, BC, Following that, Tony’s sister, Dina, passed away, and Betty and Tony moved to Dina’s farm at Lyalta, AB. The farm eventually became too much for Tony so they sold and moved to Okotoks where they lived their remaining lives together.
After Tony passed away in 1985, Betty met and married Pat Farrell and had a lovely, loving life with him., Pat passed away on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2017. They were married almost 30 years and had a wonderful life together enjoying gardening, cooking, brewing wine, BBQ ing, travelling and visiting family overseas, and to the States for winter holidays.
Betty was also predeceased by her Mother and Father, Peter and Dymphina (Hamers) Geeraert, and all of her siblings… Annie (Louie Kathol), Albert, Carl (Mary Alice), Henry (Margaret), Alice (Frank Hughes), August (Lenora), Louie (Lillian), Agnes (Henry Luttmer), and Peter whose wife, Marie is still living.
Predeceased nieces and nephews are: Gail Luttmer, VanJohn Geeraert, Ross and Claire Geeraert, Bernard Kathol, Barbara Walls, Dale Geeraert, Susan Geeraert, Albert Geeraert, Cheryl Geeraert, Alison & her son Rusty Richards, Terry Zubot, Trevor Marshall, Gwen Geeraert, Allen Geeraert, Luke Hughes.
Predeceased in-laws were: Henricus and Wilhelmina (Schrowen) Van Wezel, John and Kathleen Van Wezel, Anthony, Elaine and Brian Van Wezel, Lawrence Van Wezel, Rose Van Wezel, Peter Lupyczuk.
Betty was a farm wife who lived and raised her family on a farm just west of Strathmore, AB. A very busy life saw her cooking and baking for threshing crews in the early days, and later on for 2 or 3 hired men, 3 large meals a day and running herd on her 6 kids, milking cows, feeding the stock, cleaning barns, shovelling grain and driving grain truck to the elevators, sewing and washing and then hanging the clothes out on the line, even in freezing weather, cleaning a large old drafty house, planting and harvesting a huge garden and she still had time to lovingly care for her big flower garden replete with peonies and so many other flowers. Betty made the absolute best raisin and cinnamon buns ever, and her children scarfed them down like little pigs.
Her white rum Christmas cake was to die for. Every Sunday the family all dressed up for holy Mass at the Sacred Heart Parish in Strathmore, where Betty and Tony were
faithful members, with Betty directing everyone. The children never got away with anything. She also baked and helped with the activities of the Catholic Women’s League on top of it all. After Betty and Tony moved to the Okotoks farm, she joined the Royal Purple and became President for a couple years. After Tony passed away, she met Patrick Farrell at church. Pat had lost his wife, Molly, many years earlier and was not loving life. Betty was the sparkle that lit him up, so they were married June 27th, 1987, and it changed his life forever. He used to say “Oh, that woman! She’s quite the one!” They lived on Pat’s farm west of Okotoks for several years where Betty loved landscaping and growing her flowers, and when they sold it, they moved to a little house on Woodbend Way in Okotoks. After that, they built a beautiful new home in High River. Later on they moved into the Manor, an assisted living home. When High River flooded in 2013, they went to stay with grand daughter, Bernie Kanwal in Okotoks, for a few weeks, When the mess was cleaned up, Judy asked Mom and Pat to come and live with her.
Judy loved mom dearly and cared for her for her remaining life. After the demise of her daughter, Michelle (Micky), Lynn moved up from San Diego to help Judy care for their mother, Betty, as she was gradually losing strength in her extremities despite exercising daily. Betty’s mind was always good and sharp. She loved playing games, especially Mexican Train and cards, with all of her family, and actually beat Sharon at games of Crib a couple weeks before she died.
Betty never missed attending Sunday Mass at St. Francis de Sales, High River, except for illness, until the last 2 or 3 weeks before she died at 104 years, 5 months and 7 days since her birth.
Betty survived the Great Depression and saw a huge revolution in everything to do with life. She went from pioneering to our current high tech culture. She loved life to the fullest and tried to do everything she possibly could each day of her life. Betty’s smile and attitude were charming and infectious, and she always had kind and loving words for everyone she met. Betty never complained about anything, even as she was declining badly. She always said “Oh, I’m doing ok.” or “I’m fine!” And she was always beautiful.
Her family all miss her dearly. She was the bed-rock of all our families… the Geeraerts, the Van Wezels, and the Farrells.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to High River Pro-Life, care of St. Francis de Sales Church, High River.
Betty’s funeral will be at the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in High River, December 02, 2022 at 11 am, with prayer vigil the evening before at 7 pm at Snodgrass Funeral Home in High River.
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Elizabeth Betty Alina Farrell June 12 1918
November 19 2022..
Décès pour la Ville: Okotoks, Province: Alberta
avis deces Elizabeth Betty Alina Farrell June 12 1918
November 19 2022
avis mortuaire Elizabeth Betty Alina Farrell June 12 1918
November 19 2022