In Honour of Elizabeth  [Betty] Robertson

Sponsored by Glennis Zilm

Elizabeth Robertson, known as Betty, was born in Calgary, Alberta, February 4, 1924.

Betty and her husband Tom were married in 1952. They raised together 5 children and she states they were “content with living a simple life”.

Betty says she “always wanted to be a nurse, I suppose because my mother was a nurse, but also always interested in anything medical”.   Betty took her nurses training at Calgary General Hospital 1943 – 1946.   Upon graduation she moved to the smaller hospital of Wetaskiwin, AB, working there for 3 years. Family friends knowing Betty wanted to move to BC, asked her to come to nurse the ailing man, which she did for 4 months.  Betty then began work at Shaughnessy & the Royal Columbian Hospitals, during which time she met her husband to be.  Betty worked in all areas of the hospitals, but the Surgical ward was where she liked it best.  Betty states that she ‘kept her hand in nursing from 1946 to 1987, with some stretches of time off when children were small or if her husband was away working on the boats”. She states they “balanced each other”.  Betty finished her career as Nursing Supervisor at the Mission Memorial Hospital from 1969 retiring in 1987. 

Upon retirement from nursing, Betty became involved with the Mission Community Archives. It is about this time that she also got involved with the BC History of Nursing and has always looked forward to the Newsletters.  It is her involvement with the Mission Archives that she became President of the Mission Studies Group. Along with two other women volunteering with the Archives, they produced the book “Mission’s Living Memorials” in 1992. Betty happily says “it took 4 years of interviewing and researching”, and then says, “they are all gone except me!”  Betty gifted the BCHNS with a signed copy of the book & her signature is beautiful!!  Betty is a spry 100+ woman and a pleasure to meet.

Betty’s Awards include:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2006 Lifetime Achievement Award from the District of Mission.                                                                                                                                                                                                          2010 Recognized by the Mission Community Heritage Commission for her work on book.                                                                                                                                                                2018 Honoured with Freedom of City Medal.