Jean Elizabeth “Betty” Reeves Moynihan, 93, of Mississauga, passed away peacefully on October 30, 2019, with her family by her side.
Betty was born to the late Alfred Joseph Grainger (of Durham, England) and Violet Dahlia May Reeves (of Flat Island, Newfoundland and Labrador) on July 10, 1926, in Detroit, Michigan. In 1930 her brother William “Bill” Grainger was born, completing their small family. In 1937 her father died and the family relocated to Toronto to be closer to their relatives. Betty graduated from Northern Vocational School in 1944, trained as a stenographer and worked for a lawyer prior to marriage and family.
She married Thomas Kenneth “Ken” Moynihan in 1949, and they made a home together in Toronto ON, Shawinigan Falls QC, Beaurepaire QC, Sarnia ON and then Baie d’Urfé QC for sixteen years before relocating to Oakville ON, where they lived for thirty-two years. Her final years were spent first in Toronto on Bayview Avenue blocks from where she lived as a child and then in Mississauga ON close to her eldest daughter Cathy.
Betty is survived by her husband Thomas Kenneth “Ken” Moynihan and six children: Cathy (Robert McPhail), of Mississauga ON; Nancy (Scott Harris), of Ottawa ON; Sue (Brad Lowell), of Halfmoon Bay, BC; Tom (Sue Reid), of Riverview NB; John (Katie), of West Chester PA; and Bob (Marion), of London ON. She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren that she loved ‘dearly’: Andrea (Doug), Heather (Tracy), David (Jenn), Nicholas, Devon, Gillian (Brennan), Adrian (Joana), Melinda, Wesley, Pamela (Josh), Mackenzie (Celine), Aidan and Kieran; and four cherished great-grandchildren: Samuel, Marston, Madelyn, and Sophie. Betty was predeceased by her brother William “Bill” in 2000.
Betty was a loving, compassionate, strong woman with a great sense of both humour and style. Betty lived a fulfilling life as a loving mother to her six children, a supportive wife to her husband Ken, a caring sister to her brother Bill and sister-in-law Catherine, and a friend to many. She was a very busy woman, taking care of the family on the home front. She welcomed friends and partners into the fold, embraced activities that enhanced the lives of her family, such as camping and cottaging, enjoyed knitting, reading and gardening in her spare time, and she loved having gatherings with her family. After Ken’s retirement she was an enthusiastic traveller and together they took extended cruises in many exotic parts of the world.
Betty will be dearly missed by her family, friends and the wonderful people who cared for her at Sunrise of Erin Mills. Please take a moment to share your condolences and memories using the online guestbook at www.turnerporter.ca Those wishing to honour her life can make a donation in her name directly to the Alzheimer Society of Peel (see the donations tab for the link).