Betty Edwards – A Local Veterans Story of Service

November 11, 2024 – In Honour of Remembrance Day

Betty Edwards, a MVSH Lodge resident, sat in her cozy room at the lodge, her suitcase packed and ready for her trip to Edmonton to visit her daughter, Bev. As she looked through old photos, she found one of herself at 19, standing proud in her Air Force uniform, a picture of determination and youthful optimism. For Betty, Remembrance Day isn’t just a time of reflection but a personal reminder of her own journey—a journey that took her from a challenging home life to the skies and radar screens of Canada.

In 1958, Betty was a young woman looking for more out of life. She had lost her mother the year before and had gone to live with her grandmother in Victoria, working to make ends meet. At just 17, she made the bold choice to leave home and join the Air Force. She wasn’t quite old enough, though—military service required recruits to be 19—so she sought consent to enlist early. With that hurdle cleared, she boarded a plane, flying alone to St. Jean, Quebec, where she would take on Basic Training. It was her first glimpse of what her new life could look like.

After Basic Training, Betty was transferred to CFB Clinton in Ontario, where she trained as a Fighter Control Operator. For six intense months, she studied radar systems and learned to track aircraft, manually recording flight paths and communicating vital information to fellow operators across the country. Though the work was challenging, Betty loved the sense of purpose it gave her. She was intrigued by the novelty of seeing how people from across Canada worked and adapted to life in the service, a theme that carried her through her years in the Air Force.

Though her dreams of being stationed overseas never materialized, Betty discovered something even more special in her time in Eastern Canada—she met her future husband. They married in the summer of 1960, both deeply committed to the Air Force. Their connection grew in strength as they worked side-by-side, but eventually, they realized that the demands of military life might require a change. “We work together, we live together, we sleep together,” Al, her husband, said one day, “I think maybe one of us should get out.” Betty agreed, and at the end of 1960, she left the service, ready to build a family with Al.

Family life soon took center stage as Betty and Al welcomed three children—Glen, Bev, and Greg—into their lives. Raising her children while managing her husband’s military schedule wasn’t easy, and challenges abounded. Betty recalls with a mix of awe and pride the resilience she needed when Al, then stationed in Moisey, Quebec, had to return to duty under heightened security following President Kennedy’s assassination. Left alone with her young children, Betty found comfort in her close friends in the private married quarters nearby, one of whom was married to a military police officer who helped keep her informed about Al’s safety.

In 1965, Betty and Al moved to Edmonton, where they hoped to give their children a stable life outside the ever-changing demands of military service. Betty describes her Air Force years as a “very growing experience,” a time that helped her learn to face life’s challenges both individually and collectively. “My life was pretty narrow,” she reflected, “and then all of a sudden you see all these things…there had to be more in life. More to learn and things to do, experiences to have.”

After Edmonton, the family settled in Parker Grove, BC, and later moved to Vernon to be closer to medical care as Al’s health deteriorated. He was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a disease that ultimately took him from Betty’s side just four years ago. To be nearer to her son, Betty eventually returned to Alberta, finding a new home in Sundre.

As Betty shared her story, she spoke of the strength, self-reliance, and openness to the world that her years in service instilled in her. While she couldn’t have foreseen the path that awaited her, the Air Force gave Betty a glimpse of a life she might not have dared to dream on her own—a life filled with purpose, love, and a connection to something greater than herself.

Betty Edwards’ story reminds us of the sacrifices made by those who serve, and of the resilience, courage, and dedication that define veterans like her. This Remembrance Day, we honor her journey and the countless other stories of service that shape our history and deepen our gratitude.

Lest we forget.

Mountain View Seniors’ Housing