Beatrice passed peacefully at Sunrise Senior Living of Oakville on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 97.

Beatrice was born to Byron Hardaker and France Mae Love in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on April 3, 1927. Bea's mother was a direct descendant of the pilgrims who came to North America on the Mayflower in 1620.

Beloved wife of the late Alfred Belton Ahbe (d. 1984). Her four children survive her: Jeff (Nina) and Greg (Caroline), both of Denver, Colorado; Brad (Susie) of Akron, Ohio; and Kim (Terry) of Etobicoke. She was the beloved grandmother to Michelle, Nadine, Jason, Kelsie, Bradley, Austin, Lindsey, Channing, Trevor, Brooke, Corinne, Ryan, Carly, Gabrielle, and great-grandmother to 8.

Beatrice, more fondly known as ‘Bea,’ was born and raised on a working farm in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, a small rural town (pop.600). Before sunrise, Bea and her three sisters Dorothy (d. 2016), Betty (d. 2020), and Joyce (d. 2022) milked the cows and tended the fields and orchards. They then headed to the Farm Market to sell their picked produce.

Bea attended Whitewater College in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where she got her teaching degree in 1949. After graduating, Bea moved to Des Plaines, Illinois, to teach first grade. Bea rented a room and met her next-door neighbour, Belton, who became the love of her life. They married in 1952 and moved to Toronto, Canada, to start their new life together.

Bea stayed home while they started their family in Canada. She was an active member of the Etobicoke Humber Valley Community. She volunteered at Sick Kids Woman’s Auxiliary, canvassed yearly for the Canadian Cancer Society, and was an active member and elder at Humber Valley United Church. She loved her monthly bridge club and was the number-one cheerleader for all her children’s activities. She loved to bake, and fresh pies or cookies would always be waiting. Bea also had a green thumb. She liked ‘fresh’ fruit and vegetables and would drive to Mississauga Road when it was still farm fields to ensure it had just been picked. She loved her Great Dane ‘Amiga’, her loyal companion.

Bea decided to get her real estate license in 1979, just before Belton was diagnosed with cancer. Real Estate was Bea’s calling and gave her purpose as a young widow. She immersed herself in her real estate career, becoming one of Canada's top agents, and was Royal LePage’s Chairman Club's top 1% for 10 years. She loved meeting and helping people find their dream homes. Bea would delay or cancel trips to ‘get the deal done.’ She represented her clients with integrity and conviction throughout her 30-year career. She reluctantly retired at age 85 as she loved her job and the joy of being with people.

Bea loved to entertain and was very social. She had an infectious smile and was always sharply dressed. Bea always had her bright red lipstick on. Bea loved to organize and host a yearly neighbourhood BBQ for friends and clients. The family home was always open for the kids' friends, and the driveway was full of cars. Even after the kids moved away, friends would stop by to see Bea.

Bea’s commitment to real estate kept her social and busy. She would be at GoodLife Fitness by 6 am every morning before heading to the office. She had many sayings – “Busy People are Happy People,” “Grass doesn’t grow on a busy road,” and “Life is not a bowl of cherries.”

Bea loved to travel and experience new adventures. She enjoyed family holidays in the UK, Europe, South Africa, the Bahamas, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands. These trips were memorable for her to spend time with her children and grandchildren. She also travelled to Alaska, South America, and Australia with her sisters, which were always highlights for her.

She will be remembered for her positive and outgoing personality, professionalism and determination. Her love for her family and having them together meant the world to her.

The family would like to thank all the Sunrise staff during the past six years while she was in memory care and for making it her home. We would also like to thank her previous caregivers, Lilli, Gemma, Soni, and Angie.

Friends may call at the Turner & Porter Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor St. W., on Thursday, January 30th, 2025, from 4-7 pm with remembrances shared at 5:30 pm. A Graveside Service will be held at the Towne of Maine Cemetery, Park Ridge, Illinois, on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 1 pm. A family celebration of life will be held this upcoming summer.

Those who wish to make donations may donate to the Canadian Alzheimer’s Association, Sick Kids Foundation, or Humber Valley United Church. Online condolences may be made through www.turnerporter.ca