Betty Isabel Russell
1927-2018
With heavy hearts, the family of Betty Isabel
Russell, 90, of Riverton, announces her passing on February 2, 2018,
in the Palliative Care Unit of the Aberdeen Hospital. Born July 31,
1927 to John William and Jessie (MacLaren) Greene, Betty was a strong,
generous and loving woman who touched the lives of
many.
Born and raised in Barney’s River, Betty
was proud of her “country roots”. She attended the
Kenzieville School until age 16, when she traveled to Ottawa to enroll
in a business course. She met her future husband a year later, the day
she returned to Pictou County. Married 57 years, Betty and Charlie
resided in Riverton where they raised three children.
Betty’s first job was with Metropolitan Life Insurance in
New Glasgow. She went on to work at the New Glasgow Credit Union and
the Steel Workers Union in Trenton before becoming the office manager
at Glen Haven Manor, where she worked for 25 years until her
retirement.
Betty was active in her church and community. She was
a life-long member of Sharon St. John United Church where she served
in the Miriam Unit of the UCW, taught Sunday School and belonged to
Betty’s Kitchen Bible Study Group. She served as treasurer
and president of the Stellarton Balmoral Girls’ Pipe Band.
Betty had many talents; knitting, crocheting, sewing, baking, and
gardening that she shared with others. Her pickles, cinnamon rolls,
biscuits, and famous rolls were delivered weekly to family and friends
and also sent to every bake sale, hockey hospitality room, and school
event her grandchildren were involved in. Believing it was important
to pass on her skills, she spent time with her children and
grandchildren, teaching them to knit, sew, and master her favorite
recipes. After retiring, she became a volunteer knitter for the
Aberdeen Hospital maternity ward, knitting more than 100 hats in a
year. Betty was also an avid writer. As a student she was a regular
contributor to the Kenzieville School Monthly. Her column,
“Dear Aunt Betty” offered advice and solutions to
her fellow students. Throughout her life, she loved to write poems to
share with family on all special
occasions.
Above all, Betty was a loving caregiver. She began
caring for her father and brothers at age 12, when her mother was
hospitalized. Throughout her life she continued to take care of her
family; delivering hot biscuits for breakfast before school, packing
Carolyn’s lunch (to be shared with all the ICU nurses),
nursing sick grandchildren, driving kids to their extra-curricular
activities, practicing spellings before a test, and saving favorite
items of clothing from stains and rips that no one else seemed able to
fix. Betty was extremely proud of her children, grandchildren, and
great grandchildren. She rarely missed a school activity, musical
performance, or sporting event. She was never too busy to lend a hand
or simply spend time. In honor of her many talents and loving care,
her grandchildren coined her “Super Nanny”,
“Nanny Hustle” then “Great Grand Super
Nan” when great grandchildren
arrived.
She was predeceased by her loving husband Charles;
her six brothers, Lawson, Eddie (Myrtle), Ranald, Calvin (Betty),
Herman (Coral), and Gary; and special cousin Jessie
“Dolly” Davidson. She will be missed by her
children, Madelyn Evans Langlois (Jack), Carolyn MacLeod (Van), and
Gordon Russell; grandchildren, Keah Callaghan (Aaron), Stellarton,
Kylee Evans (Sandy Jobin-Beavans), Toronto, Matthew (Karen),
Antigonish, Paul (Erin), Stellarton, Heidi Connors (Chris),
Stellarton, and Haley Gillis (Neil), Calgary; great grandchildren,
Evan and Ben Callaghan, Aaron and Neala MacLeod, Maddox Lays, Sawyer
and Taylor MacLeod, and Blake Connors; sisters-in-law Florence Stewart
and Francis Fowler.
The family would like to
extend their thanks to the 4th Floor and Palliative Care
nurses at the Aberdeen Hospital and to Drs. Kirk and Kwasnik for their
care, and VON for home care.
Visitation will be held Friday from 4 to 7 PM at the
H.C. MacQuarrie Funeral Chapel, Stellarton. Funeral service will be
held on Saturday, February 10 at 2:00 PM from Sharon St. John United
Church, Stellarton with Rev. Karen Ross officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Betty’s
memory may be made to Sharon St. John United Church, the SPCA, or a
charity of your choice.
www.angusfuneralhomes.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Betty Isabel Russell 19272018.source
Death notice for the town of: Stellarton, Province: Nova Scotia