ELIZABETH "BETTY" MARILYN ATTEWELL

Betty is survived by one son, Frederick Attewell, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and extended family in Canada and Norway. She was predeceased by husband Fred Attewell, her parents, Adam and Amanda Arneson, and her three siblings and their spouses – Arthur (Eilene) Arneson, Elsie (Bill) Symbolic, and Annie (John) Bellin.

Fort William, Ontario was Betty’s birth place and she was the youngest of four siblings. Her parents founded the Great Falls Store where she lived and attended primary school before relocating with her family to Lac du Bonnet when McArthur Falls Generating Station was built. She was off to Winnipeg in her teens to briefly attend Silver Heights Collegiate then found her niche in 1959 at Balmoral Hall where she proudly graduated in 1963.

The accordion was Betty’s musical instrument of choice – a prized gift from her dad. She adored her first dog Lassie – and later her dog Lady and all things to do with cats and kittens. Betty was a voracious reader of the newspaper and was always clipping out articles of interest. She liked Women’s World magazines, mysteries and especially western novels. Betty could be found daily with her nose pressed tight into the crease of a book – a habit that never changed from her youth right up until she got bifocals. She liked doing crossword puzzles, word search books and had a passion for puzzles - her blue eyes would twinkle and widen with delight at the prospect of one with 5000 or 10,000 pieces.

Betty worked in a library, a clothes factory, a daycare, and a potato chip factory – likely fueling her penchant for Sour Cream & Onion chips – which she regularly requested on her grocery list. She took many years of swimming lessons and completed Water Safety Survival and Emergency First Aid with the Canadian Red Cross Society as well as her St John’s Ambulance First Aid.

Prior to getting married in 1975, Betty was quite the world traveller taking trips with her family to Norway, Australia, New Zealand, and numerous trips to Hawaii – even catching a live Elvis Presley concert there once. She enjoyed trips to Vancouver and Penticton in her later years for extended visits with her brother Arthur – who always called her Elizabeth. To most everyone else she was Auntie Betty but affectionately known as “Lizzy” or “Liza” to her sister Annie and niece Tracey who were always in the wings to lend a patient hand throughout her life, especially in her later years. A special thank you to niece Nancy for all the countless care packages, homemade calendars, and thoughtful cards and letters she faithfully sent over the years.

Auntie Betty was quietly introspective and content to sit on the sidelines and observe the goings on wherever she may be. She was a legendary “collector of things” whose gentle soul could awaken and get fiery if you touched her stuff - especially her papers!

To honour Betty’s memory, please always remember that compassion and kindness are free and can enrich the barest of lives.

“If you can be anything, be kind.”

Private interment to follow at a later date.

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Betty's family kindly requests that all of her friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour her memory by watching the photo-biography above. Please, also consider sharing your own photos, memories, and stories by making use of the comment section on this page.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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