Elizabeth Florence (née Cave) Thériault

Obituary

After spending 91+ years keeping family, friends, neighbours (and the occasional gardener) on their toes, Betty has finally decided that it was time for a well-earned rest.

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada), Betty lived life very much on her own terms. After marrying Ernest Joseph Thériault in 1955, she lived in Montreal during its uber-hip days, and then moved to Kitchener, Ontario where she worked at Canada Valve and then Joy Manufacturing. At the ripe old age of 47, she and Ernie “retired”, returning to Nova Scotia where they lived in Mahone Bay and ran Blockhouse Antiques & Collectibles (where you might find on any given day locals, Come From Aways, and Hollywood directors and actors) for some 24 years.

At the age of 77, widowed and tired of Canadian winters, she moved to Andalucía in Spain. Shovelling was never her forté. She made fast friends in her adopted town of Nerja where she spearheaded a Friday night tapas night, forever mourned the absence of Kraft peanut butter (chunky), and never learned a word of Spanish.

Betty has been reunited with those who went before her, including her husband, Ernie. We imagine he's delighted to have her back — although she’s probably already started telling him how to do things correctly; i.e., her way. Sorry Dad. She is also predeceased by her parents, William and Alma, brothers Donald, Raymond, and Ralph, and sisters Doris, Helen, and Valerie. 

She leaves behind her children Frank (Judy) of Etobicoke and Carolyn (Chris Ludlow) of Nerja, Spain, granddaughters Anne, Catherine, and Claire, a groovy great-grandson Theo, their devoted mother Lorell Stevenson, (a formidable woman in her own right), her brother Leo (Marilyn), and sisters Pauline (Stephen McMenamin) and Janet (Reid MacLean). There are also many nieces, nephews, neighbours, friends, stray cats, and sparrows – too numerous to count – who will sorely miss her.

Rather than mourn a life that ended, we'd much rather celebrate one that was lived exactly as she intended — with character, humour, determination, and plenty of stories worth telling — the truthfulness of which was frequently a casualty. This is the woman who once tried to board a flight with a screwdriver in her purse because, after all, you never know when you'll need one. In Betty's honour, feel free to raise a glass (preferably cava or a rye and ginger) with us. Bonus points if you do it while ignoring someone else's eminently sensible advice as that would absolutely make her day. Her ashes will be scattered in the Mediterranean Sea along with Ernie's — a curious wish considering she couldn't swim and hated getting her hair wet.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your local animal shelter.

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