ELIZABETH ANN BIRMINGHAM

1944 - 2023

BIRMINGHAM, ELIZABETH ANN (nee BOIVIN) It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Elizabeth Ann Birmingham (nee Boivin), on May 16, 2023. She was full of grace and humor to the end, and we, her children, were honored to have been able to spend her last moments by her side. Born in Dolbeau, Quebec, on July 6, 1944, Betty was the daughter of the late Adelard Boivin and Julia Leier. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Bruce, on July 2, 2010. She will be profoundly missed by children, Jeffery (Joann) and Jennifer; grandchildren, Jonathan, Jason, Jacob and Ben; as well as extended family and friends. While she earned a degree in Sociology from the University of Toronto, it was on the courts she would find her calling. Her time as a tennis umpire not only had her yelled at by some of the top players of the 80s and 90s but lead to a photobomb on the front page of the Toronto Sun in 1983 and a cameo on the television show Counterstrike. Tennis was more than a passion for her, it was a cornerstone in different ways at different stages of her life. Strong and sociable, she relished the time spent with those she loved whether at Mahjong and lunches with friends, or travelling with relatives. We are grateful she had a last hurrah in Las Vegas with her nieces, Beth and Cathy, in April. Betty was as cheap as she was generous, pocketing an extra Splenda from the coffee shop for home, while writing cheques for the causes dear to her heart including, Wheelchair Tennis, Wellspring, and the cancer centres at Credit Valley Hospital and Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Lives are better because of the legacy she left. The family will receive friends for Visitation on May 26th, at 9:00 a.m. on at Glen Oaks Funeral Home and Cemetery, 3164 Ninth Line, Oakville, Ontario. A Celebration of Betty's Life will follow at 11:00 a.m. and Reception at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Trillium Hospital Foundation (Cancer Care) or to Tennis Canada in support of the wheelchair tennis program.