Obituary of Mrs. Betty Jean Hillyer

Mrs. Betty Jean Hillyer (nee Mitchell)

Born in Toronto, Ontario to Alfred Edward Mitchell and Mary Jean (Naylor).

Loving mother to Nancy Elizabeth Mercier and Brenda Joyce Clark (Bryce).  Cherished Grandma to

Michael (Elizabeth), Steven (Sarah), Benjamin (Jennifer) Radcliffe, Madeleine Clark and predeceased by Hannah Clark. Great Grandma to Aubrie, Georgia, Syd, Summer and Ellie.  Loving sister to Barbara Kean and sister-in-law to Keith and Bev Hillyer, predeceased by Jack and June Hillyer.  Fondly remembered by many cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

Betty grew up on Craighurst Ave, attended John Ross Robertson Public School, North Toronto Collegiate and graduated from Northern Secondary.  She began working at Crown Life Insurance Company as a stenographer.  It was while attending a Sunday evening church service at Castlefield Baptist Church that she would meet the love of her life.  She wondered what ‘that guy’ from work was doing sitting in the congregation.  In 1952 she would end up marrying ‘that guy’ Sydney Derby Hillyer and remain happily married to him for almost 69 years.  

She was an active member of Blythwood Road Baptist Church and certainly made many cherished friendships over the years.  She served in various capacities, but especially enjoyed being a member of the choir and singing pieces from Handel’s Messiah.

Betty and Syd moved to Agincourt/Scarborough in 1967 and enjoyed many memories there.  Betty particularly liked bridge nights with the neighbourhood ladies, and gatherings with ladies of her local rug hooking guild.  She enjoyed gardening, crossword puzzles and collecting early Canadiana antiques.

Betty has fond childhood memories of summers spent at ‘Journey’s End’ her maternal grandparent’s cottage on Bell Street in Uxbridge.  In 1987, Betty and Syd bought a lovely cottage on Dickey Lake, near Coe Hill Ontario.  Betty loved the view of the lake from the cottage deck.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Hospital for Sick Children (Oncology Department), Blythwood Road Baptist Church Memorial Fund, or the charity of your choice.