Obituary for Betty Alberta Pickering (Fleming)
Betty Alberta Pickering (née Fleming) – Died very peacefully, with her husband by her side, on the morning of Wednesday, January 20, 2021 in Lindsay, Ontario.
Betty is survived by John, her beloved husband of 73 years, her sister Anne, her four children: Elaine, Laurie (Ib), Geoffrey (Iris), and Murray (Joy) – as well as nine remarkable grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Born in Toronto in 1923, the third of five children, Betty was a gifted student and so, despite the intense financial stress of the Depression, she was allowed to stay in school. This led to her first career as an Elementary School Teacher in Toronto – a vocation she immediately embraced. Toward the end of the war, at a dance for enlisted persons, she met the great love of her life – John Beverley Pickering. They married in early 1948 and soon moved to Northern Ontario where they both taught in schools in Timmins, Capreol, and Hornepayne.
Returning to Toronto in the mid-1950s with two children and one on the way, they continued with their teaching careers. However, with a fourth child, and the pressures of 1950s norms on women and working outside the home, Betty decided not to return to the classroom. Instead, she began, from her home, a 30-year career as an outstanding and much sought-after piano teacher to many hundreds of students. As a sign of her commitment to excellence, she studied for many years with some of the finest musicians at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory, striving to be the finest teacher and musician she could be.
For ten months of the year, Betty worked tirelessly as a teacher and mother, but for two months every summer, she deeply embraced a life of relaxation at her much-loved cottage in Harcourt Park. Bought in 1958, she and John spent every summer there right up until the summer of Covid-19 – often in the company of their family and many friends.
Retiring in the mid 1980’s, Betty and John moved to Lindsay where Betty applied her prodigious energy and talent to volunteer in the community – most notably as a very successful fund-raiser as President of the Ross Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Betty and John also loved travelling both before and during their retirement – driving and camping across North America as well as long winter stays in Florida and Arizona.
Mum’s extraordinary energy, skill, and commitment to excellence enhanced the lives of hundreds of her students in countless ways. Her love, laughter, keen intellect, generosity, and love of life will be profoundly missed by all her family.
We are sincerely grateful to Dr. Peter Petrosoniak for his compassion and care for many years and also to the wonderful staff at William Place Retirement Residence in Lindsay.
In keeping with Betty’s final wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no visitation or service held at this time. If desired memorial donations to the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation may be made through Mackey Funeral Home, 33 Peel Street, Lindsay, Ontario (705-328-2721) or online at www.mackeys.ca
Betty is survived by John, her beloved husband of 73 years, her sister Anne, her four children: Elaine, Laurie (Ib), Geoffrey (Iris), and Murray (Joy) – as well as nine remarkable grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Born in Toronto in 1923, the third of five children, Betty was a gifted student and so, despite the intense financial stress of the Depression, she was allowed to stay in school. This led to her first career as an Elementary School Teacher in Toronto – a vocation she immediately embraced. Toward the end of the war, at a dance for enlisted persons, she met the great love of her life – John Beverley Pickering. They married in early 1948 and soon moved to Northern Ontario where they both taught in schools in Timmins, Capreol, and Hornepayne.
Returning to Toronto in the mid-1950s with two children and one on the way, they continued with their teaching careers. However, with a fourth child, and the pressures of 1950s norms on women and working outside the home, Betty decided not to return to the classroom. Instead, she began, from her home, a 30-year career as an outstanding and much sought-after piano teacher to many hundreds of students. As a sign of her commitment to excellence, she studied for many years with some of the finest musicians at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory, striving to be the finest teacher and musician she could be.
For ten months of the year, Betty worked tirelessly as a teacher and mother, but for two months every summer, she deeply embraced a life of relaxation at her much-loved cottage in Harcourt Park. Bought in 1958, she and John spent every summer there right up until the summer of Covid-19 – often in the company of their family and many friends.
Retiring in the mid 1980’s, Betty and John moved to Lindsay where Betty applied her prodigious energy and talent to volunteer in the community – most notably as a very successful fund-raiser as President of the Ross Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Betty and John also loved travelling both before and during their retirement – driving and camping across North America as well as long winter stays in Florida and Arizona.
Mum’s extraordinary energy, skill, and commitment to excellence enhanced the lives of hundreds of her students in countless ways. Her love, laughter, keen intellect, generosity, and love of life will be profoundly missed by all her family.
We are sincerely grateful to Dr. Peter Petrosoniak for his compassion and care for many years and also to the wonderful staff at William Place Retirement Residence in Lindsay.
In keeping with Betty’s final wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no visitation or service held at this time. If desired memorial donations to the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation may be made through Mackey Funeral Home, 33 Peel Street, Lindsay, Ontario (705-328-2721) or online at www.mackeys.ca