Obituary of Betty Jenkins

Margaret Elizabeth (Betty) Jenkins passed peacefully on December 5th, 2025 surrounded by her loving family.

 

Born at home in Kensington, PEI—like many of her generation—Betty came into a world that would soon shape her with both hardship and deep-rooted family connection. After losing her mother at just two years old, she was lovingly raised by her grandparents, Jim-Ed Somers and Maggy Jane Paynter and then later by her grandfather’s second wife, Beatrice. Her parents were William Cameron and Lulu Somers.

 

Betty began school at the age of four because her older brother, Ingham, refused to go without her—a choice that sparked her lifelong love of learning. She attended a one-room schoolhouse with eighteen children and, after graduating Grade 12, went on to teach school. Betty was an avid reader who often preferred getting lost in a book over finishing whatever chore she’d been assigned. She loved community dances, going to the movies, and frequently told the story of watching Gone with the Wind and hearing the famous line, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”—the first swear word she’d ever heard on film.

 

Although Betty and her siblings were not raised in the same household, she remained close to them throughout her life. She spent much of her married life living next door to her sister, Thelma, a bond that was a comfort and joy for both of them.

 

On October 8th, 1960, Betty married the love of her life, Donnie Jenkins. They enjoyed over fifty years of marriage together and raised four children: Ingham, Billy, Marie, and April. Betty was immensely proud of her growing family, which would eventually include seven grandchildren—Glynn, Taylor, Dylan, Alex, Liza, Campbell, and Rowan—and six great-grandchildren.

 

A devoted member of Hazelbrook Baptist Church, Betty supported her community in many ways, including teaching Sunday school. She was a longtime member of the Women’s Institute and was well known for hosting community Canada Day celebrations in her backyard—gatherings filled with laughter, food, and the spirit of neighbours coming together.

 

Betty’s love of family was the thread that ran through everything she did. Sunday dinners in Hazelbrook were a cherished tradition for many years. Her home was always warm, welcoming, and stocked with delicious baked treats. Betty helped raise every one of her grandchildren, always ready to babysit—whether for an hour or for a full week while parents escaped for a much-needed vacation. She could crochet, garden, knit, and sew a dress, but her greatest gift was the way she made everyone feel loved and at home.

 

In her later years, after Donnie passed, Betty moved to Stratford, where her apartment neighbours became dear friends and an essential support system. She attended ukulele group, bible study, and church in Alexandra, and rarely missed her daily coffee group, where she happily contributed to solving the world’s problems—especially the political ones.

 

Betty is survived by her children: Ingham, Billy (Kim), Marie (Rick), and April (Paul); her grandchildren: Taylor, Glynn, Dylan, Alex, Liza, Campbell, and Rowan; and her great-grandchildren: John Robert, Josie, Colson, Walker, Hattie, and Mason. She is predeceased by her husband, Donald, and her siblings, Thelma Jenkins and Ingham Cameron.

 

We will miss our mom, grandmother, and mother-in-law more than words can express. What we will miss most is her constant, unconditional love. Even in her final days, she reminded us “not to drive in bad weather”—a mother through and through, right until her last moments. Our greatest wish is that everyone gets to have a “Betty” in their life at some point.

 

Resting at Hillsboro Funeral Home from where visiting hours will be held Sunday, December 7, 2025 from 12:00 - 12:45 pm followed by a funeral service in the funeral home chapel at 1:00 pm. Interment will take place later at Hazelbrook Baptist Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made online to Parkinson.

 

Betty’s family extends heartfelt thanks to the staff of Atlantic Baptist and are especially grateful to the staff of E wing for the kind and thoughtful care provided to Betty.