Obituary of Elizabeth (Betty) Jean Harkness

HARKNESS: On April 24, 2017, our beloved Elizabeth (Betty) Jean Harkness passed away peacefully at the age of 94. Betty was born in MacGregor on February 24, 1923 to William and Elizabeth MacWilliam. Our dear Betty said she was fortunate to grow up in a loving family. Her early years were spent on the family farm helping with the chores, and playing with her three siblings. She excelled at school and in sports and grew into a beautiful, young lady with a quiet, gentle disposition and a strong, inner strength. After finishing grade 12, she took a short homemaker course and then headed to Winnipeg to study business. She stayed in Winnipeg and worked as a bookkeeper with the Manitoba Farm Loans Office. When he returned from the war in 1946, Betty married her sweetheart, Roy Harkness. Betty and Roy bought land, built a house and barn and settled into life on their mixed farm in the Beaver Creek district, where they raised five children. She was an extraordinary wife, homemaker and mother. Her hands were never idle and she taught her children, through example, the feeling of satisfaction one gets from a job well done. She was also an active participant in church activities, and community activities like 4-H, curling and square dancing. In 1974, Betty and Roy left the farm and their friends and moved to Brandon, where their new neighbours embraced them. Roy and Betty were considered the ambassadors of their neighbourhood because their door was always open, to the young and old. Betty became an active member in Trinity Church and received her 50 year UCW pin. Along with Roy, she was a stalwart volunteer, delivering Meals on Wheels and welcoming travellers as Brandon Tourist Greeter. She was a volunteer visitor at the hospital and at the care homes throughout Brandon and she supported refugee families by babysitting the children while their parents learned English. Her life in Brandon was a happy one. Betty took great pride in her home, her baking, gardening, sewing, knitting and crocheting. She loved round dancing and square dancing and all the friends she and Roy made. She enjoyed curling, lawn bowling, shuffle boarding, playing card games, bridge and of course Scrabble! In her later years, she was proud to be a Bell Ringer. Betty was a life-long learner and took great pleasure in sharing stories of her travels to Europe, Alaska, Florida and the provinces of Canada. But without a doubt, her most treasured moments were spent with her dear family and friends. Betty leaves to cherish her memory, her four daughters, Faith (Myles), Brenda (Lorne), Bonnie (Blaine), and Holly (Ken) and her grandchildren Paul and Jennifer Lagimodiere, Chris (Melanie) Livingstone, Michael (Christeen) Livingstone, Micheal (Ali) Chatwin, and Chaslynn (John) Pollock, and her great-grandchildren James Livingstone and Roy Pollock, sister-in-law Lois Domke, sister-in-law Jean Harkness, brother-in-law Jack Clark and many nephews and nieces. She was predeceased by her husband Roy, her son Ross, her brother Walter MacWilliam, her sister and brother-in-law Florence and Sid Hay, her sister Joyce, her brother-in-law Glen, her brother-in-law Oscar. A Celebration of Betty's Life will be held at Trinity United Church, 1515-6th Street, on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. A private family interment will take place. Flowers are gratefully declined. Donations may be made in memory of Betty to a charity of your choice. You were always there when we needed you No task to great or small With a loving heart and a willing hand For us you did them all. Thanks for the years you gave us And for the times we shared We only prayed when you left us You knew how much we cared God saw you getting tired When a cure was not to be He put His arms around you And said, "Come unto me."