Colleagues, Betty Ann was born on February 2nd, 1968, the daughter of Jo and Alice Villenueve, in Fort Simpson. She was a sister to four siblings and mother to Skyler, Steven and Cheyenne. Betty Ann spent her life in Fort Simpson, close to her family and those she grew up with.
When she was young, she was known to be close with her father Jo and a bit of a daddy's girl. Often, Jo was the only one who could get Betty Ann to do anything, and it was through him that Betty Ann learned to love dancing, as they would often be dancing and jigging together. Sometimes her brother Jo would join them. It's well known in Fort Simpson that Jo is one of the best jiggers in town, so it is not surprising that they share the love of jigging.
From a young age, Betty Ann and her brother Jo were always close. They were there for each other and, as children, would go on little adventures along the airstrip on rafts. Once they played hooky from school to try hunting with Jo's bow and arrow, sometimes the cousins and other kids in town would join them. The airstrip was a popular place to play. Two of the sisters remembered picking flowers that grew like a jungle for Betty Ann. They would pick so many flowers and bring them back to Alice. In a day they would bring her several batches of them, so she would have to get rid of some to make room for more.
Betty Ann was also known for her caring and was often the nurse when people would get hurt. When her niece was badly burned, Betty Ann jumped to help. She helped take control of the situation, went to the hospital, took down all the information that was needed to care for her niece, and then helped her for care. She jumped in to help when her sister couldn't handle seeing her daughter in pain and needed someone. Betty Ann was there, and that was common with her and her other nieces and nephews. She always had a soft spot for them and cared for them and helped her and the family when it was needed.
As Betty Ann finished school, she spent time in various positions in the community, from the Sub Arctic, the Northern Gas Bar, firefighter's training, and many other odd jobs she would pick up. One of her positions was at the Nahanni Inn where she met Wayne. Together they had children and continued to live in Fort Simpson.
The kids remember Betty Ann as being loving, caring, and an attentive mother who would always make sure the kids ate first and made the best soup. Betty Ann was known to make holidays special with her love for decorating which is evident to the community, as many would drive by her yard and see decorations with Christmas lights or Halloween decorations. During the holidays, her children would say that she would be Martha Stewart up the house as she went all out for the holidays to make it look like Hallmark holidays.
Betty Ann really had a big heart for her family and her children and animals, her extended family and her friends. This was her to a T.
Being respectful of the time, I have attached other stories from family and friends, which I will like them to be deemed as read.
The family would like to talk everybody for their prayers and support during this difficult time. She will be sadly missed, especially by her partner Robin.
When the kids were still young, Betty Ann and Wayne decided to get married. They kept it very small and didn't tell many. The kids were surprised to learn the wedding would be happening in the living room the next day, they quickly cleaned the House for the wedding, just to have it destroyed by rice that was thrown in celebration. It was a very small and intimate wedding, which seemed to be just how Betty Ann wanted it. About her, her partner, and her children.
With Cheyenne being the youngest, Betty Ann would often tell the brothers, Skyler and Steven, to watch out for her. One summer they were playing in their yard, and Cheyenne kept running towards the long grass, Steven was getting more and more upset because he was supposed to make sure Cheyenne was all good. The boys would get in trouble if anything happened to her, and he was afraid he would lose her in the grass. Betty Ann came up with a solution, to get shoestrings and tie them together and then tie Cheyenne to Steven so they couldn't separate and Cheyenne could not run off. It ended up being a tug of war between Cheyenne and Steven as she still tried to run into the grass. While Betty Ann probably laughed, she also ensured Cheyene's safety, and likely put Steven at a little more at ease knowing his sister wouldn't get lost. Something a caring and inventive mother would think of. Making things work with what she had.
During Christmas and Halloween, she was good at directing the kids, as she would often get everything out and then tell the kids exactly where to hang the decorations. Her love for decorating and making holidays special, shows how much she cared about others and wanted to make things extra special for all those around her.
As life moved on for Betty Ann and the kids got older, Betty Ann remarried to Michael. It was another very intimate wedding that many in the family did not know about. But that was Betty Ann, no one could tell her what to do when she was younger, except her dad Jo, and she often continued to do the things she wanted as she got older.
Michael and she were a duo that often drove to Wrigley or Yellowknife to see his family. Michael shared his love for Dene culture and the Drum with Betty Ann. They would often be at drum dances, with Michael teaching younger people in the family and community to drum. Betty Ann learned and practiced a lot of culture with Michael.
Arlie Brown shared memories of her sassy and caring personality. When she first moved to Fort Simpson, she met Betty Ann, amongst all the other staff at Nahanni Inn. She had a hard time remembering all the names of everyone and as she was having lunch, and Betty Ann was working, Arlie accidentally called her, "Betty Sue". She immediately said sorry, but the damage was done, and Betty Ann went into the kitchen and didn't say a word to her. A couple of days later, she said good morning to Betty Ann, but she just flicked her hair and walked away. She didn't give up and kept saying good morning every day. Betty Ann eventually came around and one day came with a gift for her and apologized for being so rude. From then on, they were good friends, talking practically every day on the phone. Betty Ann also had a sassy side to her, but ultimately was a caring and forgiving person.
Betty Ann had a close network of cousins. Often when she would see them, she greeted them with a "hey Cuz!" And a housing. She was typically a warm presence with a big smile, and treated her cousin's children as her own, as she doted on them. Her and Michael would gift small drums to the younger boys, and she taught others how to play bingo. She and Cathy played bingo with Amaria for her first time, even before she knew what big numbers like 45 were. Betty Ann would help her and tell her it's a 4 and a 5. Then Nateyaa fondly remembers a time she gave him a huge bag of change in an enormous zip log baggie. I'm sure a lot of Canadian was bought with that.
Some of her cousins share these words:
"Betty Ann was not only our cousin, but she was always there for us with open arms and a loving smile in times of need. It was a connection of the heart we all shared throughout the years of experiences with laughter, tears, and mutual understanding. She had an extraordinary capacity for empathy; she could sense something was wrong and would ask, "what's wrong'. She would provide comfort, strength, laughs and a jolly smile in times of need. Our conversations with her, whether serious or silly, always left you feeling uplifted and understood. She had a gift for listening without judgment. She had a special bond with each family member and had nicknames for many. She will be deeply missed and will have a special place in our hearts."
Betty Ann's love of dancing, from her childhood, carried on in her life. As her kids would often stop at her House to see her with the satellite music station on the tv, playing blasting music, as she danced away while cleaning.
I ask that we remember her the way she would have wanted us to. Dancing away with her loved ones, smiling and laughing.
Members' statements. Member from Deh Cho.
