Thursday, February 18, 2021
A tribute to Betty, my Canadian Mom
It was around April 1978 when I was first welcomed into the home of Betty and Gerald Doyle. I had been blessed through a visit to Our Lady of the Annunciation Church in Montreal, to have met Chris who was my age and, like me, the youngest of four children. Having felt very alone as a 19 year old from England, Betty would say “Come in, dear”, “Would you like something to eat?”, with a fridge full of Baloney and Miracle Whip, giving me purpose to remain in Canada and not abandon my work as an au pair, as I had often contemplated. Betty had a wonderful poem on her fridge door about her Favourite Child, saying how the eldest was her favourite and with the reasons. But the subsequent lines, said how the second child was the favourite, with the reasons, and then how the third child was her favourite with new reasons and so on. I soon knew that she, like my own mother, was devoted to her beautiful 4 children, was full of compassion and kindness, and soon after she became my ‘Canadian Mom’. I was in total awe of Big Brian and Judy, Funny Gerry and Joanne and Cheerful Karen and Robin, and Betty’s first grandchildren Trisha and Little Brian were the sweetest young children I’d ever met.
My amazing friendship with Chris grew stronger each year, and visits to Canada were always enhanced with a visit to see Betty. Betty seemed so interested in me and my family too, and we had a great time on her visit to London when I don’t believe her feet touched the ground! Even as Betty grew older, she remained so beautiful with her gorgeous blue eyes, curly dark hair, painted nails and bright lipstick, but I loved her mostly because she was so gentle and kind, and so caring of her ever growing family. I remember she played tennis well into her pensionable years, and how she adored dogs, from Skippy and Chester back in the 70’s, to little Abby whom she saw most weekends at Chris and Steve’s home. Our families would often Skype together and Betty would be right at the forefront of the screen, always cheerful, listening and joining in with our chats. She was the very best Canadian Mom I could have had and I am so thankful to her and Gerald, for their hospitality and kindness. She will be sadly missed and never forgotten. May she now be with God and playing Bridge with His angels in heaven.
Irenie Phillips
