Betty Jane (Myers) Cleroux was born Nov. 26, 1946 in Kansas City, Mo.
She was brought as a newborn to live up the lake at Little Canoe River. Her parents later bought Camp Ontario on Rainy Lake.
Her early years and the “Lake People” (as she liked to call them) greatly influenced who she was for the rest of her life.
She lived the longest portion of her life in Kamloops, B.C. where she died from cancer on Nov. 15, 2019, her loving husband by her side.
Betty was an amazing woman; sharp-witted, strong, wise and inspiring. Her love of animals and the outdoors was central to who she was.
She was homeschooled until high school. She attended some high school in Fort Frances, but graduated in Harrisonville, Mo.
She was scheduled to enroll in the U.S. Air Force, but that was not in the cards; she met the love of her life, Phil Cleroux, while working as a waitress in Fort Frances, and they married a short time later.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Phil Cleroux; daughter, Mary MacDonald (Neil); son, Jay Cleroux (Barb); and six grandchildren (Ben, Abbey, Jacob, Noah, Meghan and Alec).
She is predeceased by her son, William; her parents, Bill and Mary Myers; her brother, Billy Myers; and sister-in-law, Madeleine Lindberg.
She and Phil moved from Fort Frances to Kamloops in October, 1973.
She worked at a few places, but mostly stayed home to raise her children, which she did with an ardent passion and an unwavering belief in the sanctity of the job.
Early on she satisfied her hunger for learning and helping others through various roles in the Catholic Church.
She completed the Human Service Worker program at Cariboo College, and then earned her degree in Childcare from the University of Victoria beginning a long and satisfying career working as a counsellor with youth and adults.
Through her 20 years or so in this field, she touched many lives and made many friends. Her gift was in her ability to connect deeply with people, be authentic and ask curious questions.
She didn’t dwell much on small talk, and had an uncanny ability to get right to the good stuff in conversation. People were drawn to her.
In 1992, she and Phil continued their love of the outdoors by buying a cabin at Sabiston Lake.
They spent many happy years there until they decided to trade a cabin for an RV when they retired.
They travelled extensively through Mexico and the U.S., making many long-lasting friends through RVing.
In 2010, they bought a home in Buckeye, Arizona, and spent the winters there, until they finally sold in 2018.
Phil and Betty lived their lives side by side, laughing, travelling, gardening, walking dogs and celebrating family occasions.
It is hard to imagine one without the other.
Her “Garden of Eden” in the backyard of her house will be where we remember her the most.
Every time the squirrels, birds, deer, bear, coyotes and garden snakes move through, we’ll think of her and smile. When the owl hoots, we’ll know it is her, saying, “I love you.”
Rest in peace, Mom. We’ll see you in a while.
BETTY JANE (MYERS) CLEROUX
