Betty died peacefully on July 1st, 2015, at Northridge Nursing Home in Oakville. Our mother was born January 17, 1923, the only child of Walter and Florence Harkness. She grew up in Toronto, but spent most summers in Millbrook, staying with her grandmother, Carrie Harkness, and visiting the Dawson family. She graduated from The Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing in 1945. All her life she was proud to be a nurse, finding there the role and self-esteem to assist a rather shy young woman. While at nursing school, she met Nairn Stewart, a medical student. They married on January 5, 1946, and had two children, Susan and Tom. They lived in Davidson, Saskatchewan, where Nairn set up his family medical practice. They were very much in love. Sadly, Nairn drowned on July 27, 1950. Betty returned to Ontario, to live and work in Oakville, and to be near her parents: a widow at 27 years with two preschool children and challenged in many ways. On June 5, 1955, Betty married Murray Bryson, who then adopted Susan and Tom. In 1956 Betty gave birth to Jim. Murray was a loving father to all three of his children. Murray died June 27, 1997. Betty retired from nursing to attend McMaster to complete courses to qualify to open a pre-school for children held in the basement of her Church. She subsequently returned to the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital as Head of the Admitting Department, a position that she held with great pride for 25 years before retiring in 1987. She became an active member of the OTMH Alumni Association and was proud to speak at many of its annual dinners. Betty had a great respect for doctors, as leaders, but saw a hospital and all its employees as a team dedicated to help others hopefully recover good health. Betty had a quiet faith and was deeply involved in St. Aidan's Anglican Church and its Women's Auxiliary. She was one of the first female Wardens of a church in the Niagara Diocese. In 2007, she was appointed to the Order of Niagara for her exceptional service to her Church and community. She was a longtime volunteer with the Red Cross, and ConnectCare. Betty was proud as parent of Susan, Tom and Jim, and as grandparent of Michael and Andrew, of Shane, Matt, Nikki and Chris, and of Mallory. She loved a good novel, conversation, friendship and laughter. She had a feisty, no-nonsense manner, and regrettably a sharp tongue occasionally. She was unpretentious, a quiet model but of real substance. Her family will always cherish and miss her. We particularly thank Jim and Paula for all their help and support to Betty in her last years. A memorial service will be held at St. Aidan's Anglican Church, 318 Queen Mary Drive, Oakville on Saturday, July 18, 2015 starting at 11:00am with a reception to follow.