Betty Hetherington
It is with sorrow and love that the family and friends of Betty Hetherington announce her passing on August 15, 2026 at North Bay Regional Hospital, Cartier Street site, at the age of 93.
Betty was predeceased by her husband Ron, her brother John Gambles and her parents Olive and Sam Gambles. She will be lovingly remembered by Bernie and John (Donna), her only nephew Graham Gambles (Candy Keith) and their children Autumn (Nathan) Chandel, Dawson (Rachel).
Betty was born on February 26th 1933 on a farm in Cochrane Ontario. Her parents Olive and Sam Gambles had emigrated from England in 1919 and homesteaded there, first building a log cabin and then when Betty was born a frame house. She attended a one room school house that had all eight grades of students in it. She often talked about her time growing up there with all of the other nationalities of Europeans being her neighbours. When she was 9 years old the family moved to Kirkland Lake and at 16 years of age, she got a job in town working at Kresge’s department store. She enjoyed many memorable times in Kirkland Lake meeting new people and soon she met her future husband Ron Hetherington who worked for the ONR in Telecom and they married in 1957.
A year later their first son Bernie was born and in 1962 along came John. Ron was transferred to North Bay where the ONR was building its new base of operations. Ron and Betty and the two boys all moved to North Bay and into a comfortable new house in West Ferris. It was here that Betty settled into suburban life but never forgot her roots in the North. She continued working part time at the newly constructed Zellers department store which opened a few years later just a few minutes' walk from their house. Later she worked at Boots drugstore in the Nipissing Plaza.
From the late 70’s to 1998 Betty took in 3 student boarders each year treating them more like her own kids than lodgers. There was never a dull moment of activity with everyone there and many of them came to visit with their families’ years after they had graduated. During this period Betty and Ron took many trips to the U.S.A., across Canada, the Caribbean and Europe. She was affectionately known by many of her friends as “busy Betty” because she was always doing something. She loved her pets and kept an immaculate home. During the winter months Betty kept herself busy with her Crochet projects and needlepoint. In the summer she transformed her yard into a beautiful flower display and enjoyed sitting by her pond complete with goldfish, frogs, visiting ducks and the odd heron that feasted on her fish.
The family would like to thank all of the doctors, nurses, and support workers that made Betty so comfortable in her last weeks at the hospital.
As per Betty’s wishes cremation has taken place and there will be no service. If desired donations to Nipissing Serenity Hospice would be greatly appreciated by the family. Arrangements entrusted to Basic Cremation Services.
