Marjorie Elizabeth Chase

Marjorie Elizabeth Chase died on September 21, 2020 in her 95th year after a short age-related illness in Glenwood Care Centre in Agassiz, B.C. 

Betty's daughter and son-in-law were permitted to visit her in her final days, and her daughter was with Betty when she passed. 

Betty is pre-deceased by her husband, Bill, in 2008. She is survived by her family Debbie (John), John (Susan) and Brian (Sharmaine). Grandchildren James (Frankie), Catherine (Reece), Stacey (Brandon), Tyler, Jacob (Tai), Jayden , Kylie and Great Grandchildren Taj, Shae, Geneva, Rylie, Teddi, Levi,  Noah, and soon to be born, Zoe.

This obituary is being written by her daughter, Debbie. I would now like to tell the story of "Mom".

Mom was born in Riverside, New Brunswick in 1925. She was the youngest of 3 daughters. Her older sister was Audrey, and her middle sister was Dorothy. According to Mom, her parents, John (Jack) and Olive, were hoping for a boy. Instead they were surprised to now have another daughter. The birth was breech and Mom was told later how awful it was, and perhaps this shaped mom's personality which stayed with her all her life. 

Her father was a bank manager of The Bank Of Nova Scotia from 1923 to 1947. The bank building was originally in Riverside, then it was moved to nearby Albert in 1928. The Mace family lived above the bank in this building. Today, this old bank is now a museum, telling the story of one of Canada's oldest banks and her father John Harrison Mace's role in the history of this part of Canada. For Mom, it was her home. There were many stories of the shenanigans she and her sisters got into.

Mom graduated from Riverside Consolidated School in 1943. Shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was sent to a Sanatorium for a year. Upon leaving healthy from the "San" she enlisted in the Navy as a WREN and served in Halifax.

After the war, Betty went on to train as a nurse at the Halifax Infirmary and graduated in 1948. Her year book said" Fond of sports and dancing, Betty is known to all as being ready to join in any good time. We are almost certain she will return to the Navy whence she came, for her heart is anchored there. May smooth sailing always be with you, Betty!"

Mom did not return to the Navy. She worked at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto where she met my father, Bill, and married in April, 1951. Over the next 4 years my brother and I were born. Now living in Sarnia, Ontario, Mom worked at St. Joseph's Hospital.

In 1959, Mom and Dad moved west to Edmonton. Mom worked at the Misericordia Hospital and the Charles Camsell Hospital. Dad worked in the early years of the oil sands for City Service and flew into Fort McMurray for 3 week stretches, home for 2 weeks. When Mom became pregnant with my younger brother, we moved to Fort St. John, where Mom worked at the Fort St. John Hospital.

Our next move was to Fort Nelson to live in a West Coast Transmission camp of 14 houses for a little over a year. Mom worked at the Fort Nelson Hospital.

Then we moved south to the Sechelt Penninsula. Mom worked at St. Mary's Hospital.

Finally, in 1967, Fort McMurray was booming, and we were once again on the move, this time to a more permanent home. Dad worked at G.C.O.S ( Great Canadian Oil Sands) and Mom at the Fort McMurray Hospital.

Her final years of employment included working at the hospital in Lac la Biche and she retired in the early '80's from Suncor's First Aid Department.

Many babies were delivered over the years by Betty, and particularly in Fort McMurray. Doctors did not always get there on time. The community knew if Mom was on, all would be good. She worked permanent evenings and often was called in for extra shifts. As a teenager, my peers nicknamed her "Sarge". She was professional and an excellent emergency room nurse.

Mom was blunt, sometimes harsh, sometimes funny. She called it like it is and powered through life challenges with "I'm fine, don't worry about me". She did not hesitate to give her opinion on anything. If she thought you were putting on weight, she told you "you look fat". Or " you look washed out, you should put some makeup on". She described herself as "well at least I'm interesting". She loved to use colourful language and off-coloured jokes for shock value. And her timing was often perfect, with the element of surprise that would send you laughing, usually with embarrassment as you attempted to distance yourself from this "interesting personality".

In the end, she will be missed. Few people we meet in life make such an impression on us. So, Mom, we say good-bye with great love. We know you are laughing with everyone in your next life.

Elizabeth "Betty" will be interred beside her husband William (Bill) in Logan Lake, B.C.

You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence for the family.