Betty passed away peacefully on Monday, February 21, 2022 in her 100th year, having lived a very full and rich life. She grew up in rural Alberta during the depression years, moving to Edmonton with her mother and four siblings when she was in high school. She met and married Bryce Rollins in 1943, shortly before he departed for England with the air force. Following the war, Betty and Bryce settled into life in Edmonton, and along the way they had four children, but there was much more in store for her. As a young wife and mother in her 30s, she defied the conventions of the time and enrolled as a fulltime student in Fine Arts at the University of Alberta. Thereafter she and Bryce embarked on a lifetime of adventure and travel. In 1963 they moved the family to south east Asia where Bryce was a Professor at the University of Malaya. Betty immersed herself in the local art scene, painting, exhibiting and teaching. This was just the start of their travels which subsequently included years spent living in England, the Washington D.C. area and finally in Sidney, B.C. In every location Betty pursued her art, made friends and had a positive impact on her community. She loved her family, her friends and a good party. She was known for her generosity, eccentricities, and elegance.
Betty was predeceased by Bryce in 1987. She leaves behind her children, Rick (Anne), Janie, Alan (Caron) and Wendy (Graham), her grandchildren, Patrick, Megan, Andrew, Stephen, Ethan, Elliot, Oliver and Gillian as well as her surviving sister Robin, extended family and her friends, all of whom she cherished. The family would like to thank the staff at Saanich Peninsula Hospital, VIHA, the Aberdeen Hospital and Dr. Vaughan, who provided compassionate care to Betty in her final year. The family held a private celebration of life in Victoria. Donations may be made in memory of Betty to the charity of the donor’s choice.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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David and Betty Brown
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David Bovill SUCH a lovely lady. We all met in Malaysia. Our parents became lifelong friends. Betty and my mom painted together. Betty and Brice were my substitute parents when I was an intern in DC. Sundays meant mooching dinner – often Beef Wellington and getting my laundry done. Her art hangs on many of our families’ walls.
Some people in one’s life are special and perpetually inspiring. Betty and Brice fall into that category!
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Jennifer Collins My greatest sympathy to Betty’s family and friends on her passing. Betty was truly an inspiration, with all of her
talent, humour, enthusiasm and positivity. She’ll be very fondly remembered in our family as a kind and generous friend to my late mother, Barbara.
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Ron and Marcia Stacy We are greatly saddened by the loss of your mother, she was a rare and wonderful jewel. You all will miss her so much, but life goes on. Betty will never be forgotten by all who knew her, especially we who saw her every Saturday for many years, and then phoned her every Saturday for the next 13 years after we moved away.
We always shared wonderful conversations, laughs, poetry, painting time, party time, friendships and love.
We miss her every day.
RIP, Betty
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Meredith Mclean My condolences to you. I, and the rest of the McLean’s have great memories of our parent’s neat friend, Betty ( and of Bryce too, of course). Admirable woman – she followed her passion. I treasure the large and intriguing painting of hers in my living room. A glass of sherry in her memory and in my parents would be just right!
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Liz Ball My sincere condolences to the family on Betty’s passing. I met Betty when she had her studio open during an artist’s studio tour in Sidney, and never missed an opportunity again to stop in during later studio tours to say hello, and view her current paintings and sketches. She was a skilled artist, and a very engaging conversationalist. I’m happy to be the owner of one of her paintings, and I salute her long and interesting life with a toast of sherry.
David and Betty Brown
Bryce and Betty were some of my parent’s closest friends. my wife and I had the pleasure of Betty’s hospitality on several occasions during our visits to Victoria. Indeed she was one of a kind and will be missed by many.