Obituary of Betty Ann Takada

December 19, 1932 – Coronation, Alberta

January 26, 2022 - Calgary, Alberta

The family of Betty Takada are sad to announce her passing on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Betty Lutz was born in Coronation, AB, but grew up in Daysland, AB. Always a voracious reader, she was awarded a gold medal for the top marks in Alberta. Betty skipped a number of grades, and at an early age, she headed off to Alberta College where she met Minoru Takada. Upon her graduation from college, Betty became the teacher of a one room schoolhouse, teaching kindergarten to grade eight. Her first teacher inspection could only criticize the messiness of the wood pile that heated the school. Betty and Min kept up regular correspondence and visits while Min finished his education in theology.

On October 16, 1953, Betty and Min married at St. Stephen’s College, at the University of Alberta, on October 16, 1953. Moving to the town of Bashaw and then Alix, Betty and Min raised their two children, Mark and Sheila. They then moved to Ontario when Min received the call to be the minister of a church in Toronto. Wanting to engage her keen intelligence, Betty returned to teaching with the Scarborough Board of Education. She taught elementary at Ellesmere Public School, Danforth Gardens, and H.A. Halbert, from which she retired. During her teaching years, Betty became an expert in children’s literature and also taught summer school courses to teachers. Shortly after retiring, Betty and Min moved back to Alberta where they purchased a home with a magnificent view of Calgary on Toronto Crescent near their dear friends, Bill and Marian Sayers.

Betty and Min loved to travel. They would read all about their potential destinations and cook the country’s food prior to visiting. They would explore the most obscure sites based on their readings. Their travels included Britain, Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Japan, Central America, and the United States. As they got older, their favourite means of travel were cruises where they made many lifelong friends. Eventually they moved to a condominium in the Kensington community of Calgary, and finally transitioned to the Lodge at Valley Ridge. Betty was incredibly talented at needlepoint, smocking, quilting, and cross stitch. Her work was displayed in her and her family’s homes, as well as many of her friends.

Betty will be mourned by her son, Mark Takada; daughter Sheila (James) Hetherington; grandchildren Kaitlyn (Josh) Lindberg, Alexi (Mike Macchione) Hetherington, Patrick (Hannah Devereux) Takada, and Adrien Takada; and her great-granddaughter, Aurora Macchione. Betty dearly missed Min, who had passed two years earlier after sixty-six years of marriage, so it is a great comfort that they will once again be joined together. Condolences, memories, and photos can be shared and viewed here.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Lodge at Valley Ridge, as well as Mary and Hazel Tiangha for making her final years as enjoyable as possible.

In living memory of Betty Takada, 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.