March 3, 1931 - June 6, 2022
Betty Mae Johnston was born in Didsbury Hospital on March 3, 1931 to Glen and Lillian Johnston. She passed away on June 6, 2022 at the age of 91.
Betty grew up on the farm near Cremona, Alberta where she first expressed her love for animals such as Bozo the dog, Billy the goat and Queenie the horse.
Her schooling started in Elmwood School, with High School in Cremona after which she took Nursing Aide training. She was a caregiver by nature, whether looking after patients in hospital or grooming dogs in later years. Every person and every animal responded to her loving heart.
In 1953, Betty married Bob Thomas of Olds. The family lived in various southern Alberta towns, then Didsbury, then Edmonton. In later years they had an acreage near Stony Plain, AB. When the marriage broke up, Betty moved to Spruce Grove and opened “Tailwaggers Treat by Betty,” a successful dog grooming shop which she ran for many years. Eventually, she moved to Sundre. After a few years of independent living she moved into the Foothills Lodge, then Sundre Seniors Supportive Living. Finally, dementia care was required and she spent her last years in Aspen Ridge Lodge in Didsbury where she received kind and loving care.
Betty was predeceased by her mother and father, her brothers Reg, Gordon and Dennis, her sister Jean McLeod and her former husband, Bob Thomas.
She is survived by her sister, Ruth McLean, children Kathie (Richard) Reid, Greg (Cindy) Thomas, Myrna (Ross) Shirlaw, Kim Thomas (Francis Hancock), Yvette Thomas, “daughter” Tabatha Besler, and special granddaughter, Keris Thomas (Andrew Schoepp), plus 8 other grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
“The body is temporary; Love is eternal” Rest in Peace, Mom.
