Betty GINGELL

May 03, 1929 - December 11, 2017

Betty passed away peacefully in the early morning of December 11, 2017 at Delta Hospice, with her family near her. Our deep gratitude to Dr. Rogerson and all her years of care for mom and the kind hospice staff.

Betty was born in Sale, England and grew up in wartime London, from which she was evacuated during the blitz. She immigrated to Vancouver in 1953 to marry Fred Gingell as they had arranged in England. In 1960, Betty and Fred moved to Tsawwassen to raise their growing family, and until her final days she lived in the house they built together.

Betty loved Tsawwassen and Ladner, and saw her calling as raising her family and contributing to her community, actively defending and participating in local services and events. She served for 25 years on both the Delta Hospital Auxiliary and the Altar Guild at St. David's Anglican Church, and volunteered at Sunny Hill Hospital. She also fought for improvements in her community. A life-long member of Tsawwassen Tennis Club, she petitioned for the first tennis courts to be built at Dennison Park. Betty went door to door campaigning for the first sidewalk to be built along 56th Street so children were safe to walk to school. She worked to preserve the things she valued in her community; she hosted the first meeting in the campaign to save Delta Hospital; and argued for the protection of parkland and farmland.

In her private life, Betty delighted in gardening and animals, especially the many dogs she had over the years. Most of all she loved her family. Betty took an active and much treasured part in her children's and grandchildren's lives often including them in her work in the community. Curious and chatty, in her latter years Betty was often seen around Tsawwassen on walks with her dog Amie, stopping to talk with others at any chance she could get. She will be deeply missed in the community and by her loving family.

Betty is predeceased by her husband, Fred, who served as MLA for Delta South and whom Fred Gingell Park is named after. She is survived by Christopher (Debbie), John (Lois), and Jennifer (Grant); her grandchildren Jessica (Chris), Rebecca, David, Sarah (Todd), Kathryn (Benjamin), James and Rachael; and her great-grandchildren Grayson, Bowen, Caleb, and Quinna.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Delta Hospice Society.

A service celebrating Betty's life is to be held at 2 pm on Saturday, January 27 at Saint David's Anglican Church (1115 - 51 A Street) Tsawwassen