Obituary of Betty Mae FRANCOEUR ( nee Kowalishin)

December 6, 1935 – Revelstoke, British Columbia

November 6, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Betty Mae Francoeur passed away in Calgary after a brief illness on Friday, November 6, 2020, one month before her 85th birthday.

She was born in Revelstoke, B.C. in the ‘dirty thirties’ when every dollar had to be stretched to survive and where she learned to have the resilience, resourcefulness and creativity that served her well throughout her life.

Betty was fun-loving, had a keen sense of humour, loved the arts and learning and scripted many poems and musings during her lifetime. She readily admitted that her greatest creation as a ‘baby boomer mother’ however was her 6 children, who she raised single handily after being widowed from Alphee Francoeur in 1966.

She worked tirelessly to provide her children with a good life, sometimes working 3 jobs at a time but always doing the best she could with what she had. She particularly devoted her life to caring and advocating for her late son, Raymond, who suffered from schizophrenia for most of his life. 

Betty also devoted 40 years of her life to the Legion earning many medals and honours for her service. She was a Lifetime member of Royal Canadian Legion Br. 1 Calgary Ladies Auxiliary and served many years on the branch executive sharing her talents organizing events, meetings and fundraising initiatives and generally helping veterans wherever she could. She carried this generous helping spirit to the Kerby Centre in Calgary in the latter part of her life as one of their cherished long-time volunteers supporting seniors.

Betty is survived by five of her children: Teresa “Terri” (Larry) Cameron of Sylvan Lake, Sharon Harley of Calgary, Judy Jones of Sundre, Alan (Jan) Francoeur of Yahk, BC and Glen Francoeur of Kamloops, BC; six grandchildren: Dawn and Kevin Harley, Tracey and Jodi Cameron, Alan Heck and Samantha Francoeur; and four great-grandchildren.

 Besides her eldest son Raymond Francoeur who passed in 2019, Betty is predeceased by her sister, Mary Sims; former spouses, Tom Taylor and Alphee Francoeur; her parents, Katherine and Peter Kowalishin; and sons-in-law John Harley and Blair Jones.

Betty’s family will be holding a small private service Thursday, November 19, 2020, at Queen’s Park Cemetery. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Betty’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

In living memory of Betty Francoeur, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, CALGARY, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.