ELIZABETH (BETH) MARY MARTIN (nee LAING)

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ELIZABETH (BETH) MARY MARTIN (nee LAING) June 29, 1925 - November 30, 2002 Peacefully on Saturday, November 30, 2002, at St. Boniface General Hospital, at the age of 77 years. Left to cherish her memory are Albert (Ab) Alexander Martin, her beloved husband of 50 years; her daughter Donna Elizabeth Martin (Kim Orris) her son John Martin (Lorri Kwasnicia) and her pride and glory, her two grandchildren, Taylor Martin and Ben Orris; also Trisha, Lloyd, and Mathew Orris; as well as her brothers, Henry Duncan Laing (Estelle) from Vancouver, BC, George Laing (Bernice) from Abbotsford, BC, and her twin Malcolm (Mac) Laing (Barbara) from Wawa, ON; her cousin Nita Dunn (Fort Saskatchewan) along with numerous nieces and nephews across Canada and the United States. Beth was predeceased by her father Charles Laing in 1930 and mother Bessie Laing in 1952. Beth was born in Swan River, MB in 1925. She grew up in Durban, MB where her parents had a store. She described herself as an athletic tomboy. Beth and her brothers were proud that she played for the boys hockey team. Whereas some team members would not play hockey with a girl, other team members would not play without Beth. In the Swan River Valley, she developed her interests in curling and gardening. Beth moved to Winnipeg with her mother in 1950 and worked at Canada Packers as a telephone operator. Beth met Ab during a golf foursome in Winnipeg and married him in 1952. As newlyweds, they built their own home in Charleswood. In the winter, Beth was an active member of the Charleswood Ladies Curling Club. During the spring, summer and fall, Beth would be outside working in her flower and vegetable gardens. She was a dear and fun-loving wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and friend and will be remembered for her highland dancing, humour, wit, energy, work ethic, love of animals, walks in Charleswood, and her fierce competitiveness during crib games and curling. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Drs. Abu-Lebdeh and Miller from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN who expediently and compassionately diagnosed Beth with terminal cancer and provided comfort, care and treatment so that Beth could safely return to her home for two days prior to receiving palliative care at the St. Boniface General Hospital. Cremation has taken place. A service to celebrate Beths life will be held on Wednesday, December 4, at 1:00 p.m. at Neil Bardal Inc. on Portage at Aubrey. NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 04, 2002