ELIZABETH MARY "BETTY" THOMPSON (nee SCHMIDT)

August 10, 2025

Elizabeth Mary “Betty” Thompson (nee Schmidt) of Walkerton, died suddenly, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, in her 73rd year. Beloved wife of Dean. Loving mother of Tammy (Jason) Hinsperger of Mildmay, Christine (Frank) Stone of Nanaimo, British Columbia, and Bill (Trina) Thompson of Walkerton. Cherished grandmother of Jeff, Claire, John, Blake, and Nolan. Betty will be dearly missed by her brothers, Bob (Irene) Schmidt of Waterloo, and Jim (Elaine) Schmidt of Walkerton and their families. Predeceased by her sister, Patricia Schmidt (Norm St. Denis); brothers-in-law, Bill Thompson, John (Elvira) Thompson; sister-in-law, Mary Parkes; and her parents, John and Florence (Schurter) Schmidt. Betty was born in Walkerton, Sunday, Nov. 30, 1952. She joined older siblings, Patricia and Robert “Bob,” and then younger brother, Jim, soon made the family complete. The Schmidts owned and operated a mixed farm on the 8th Concession of Greenock Township, north of Chepstow. There, Betty and her siblings enjoyed rural life and were a great help to their parents. Although Betty liked working outdoors, given her age, she was often relegated to helping the family by cooking. It definitely grew on her through the years, and thankfully, many benefited from her talents – but more on that later! As a young girl, Betty took a liking to playing baseball, and she was good at it, too. She was a proud member of the Chepstow Diamonds for many years and continued to enjoy slo-pitch well into her adulthood with the Walkerton Royals. The Schmidt children attended Mary Immaculate Catholic School in Chepstow before Betty completed her secondary education at Walkerton District Secondary School. It was there, during her Grade 11 year, that she caught the attention of a young man by the name of George “Dean” Thompson. Dean has vivid memories of their first date, a double date, when he drove through a snowstorm to pick Betty up at the farm, before attending a school dance in Port Elgin. They fell in love, and there was no looking back. Following high school, Betty moved to Owen Sound to find work, boarding with her Aunt Marie (Schurter). She soon began at Goodyear, and it wasn’t long until Dean also called Owen Sound home. The young couple was married at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Chepstow, Friday, May 24, 1974. The newlyweds called an apartment in Owen Sound home for a short period, before returning home to Walkerton in 1975. Betty began working at Canada Spool and Bobbin Co. in Walkerton, and remained there until its closure in the late 1980s. In 1979, Betty and Dean welcomed their first daughter, Tammy. Betty enjoyed motherhood and flourished. Her role and responsibilities only increased in the years following with the arrival of Christine (1982) and Bill (1985). Life was busy for Betty as she continually balanced the roles of mother and wife, all the while working outside the home. By this time, she had begun working at Krug’s Furniture Factory in Chesley before Dean helped her get a job at Formosa Brewery in the late ‘80s. There, she grew into a quiet leader and quickly gained the respect of her colleagues. She enjoyed spending time with co-workers and valued the many friendships she made through her years at the brewery. She retired in 2018, after more than 30 years of service. In addition to caring for her young family, Betty and Dean were also very close to their extended family, particularly Betty’s parents and Dean’s grandparents. Much of their free time was used to visit and support them as they aged, and this time together was always cherished. Back at home, Betty kept busy with the kids and all their activities. She and Dean also enjoyed classic cars, owning several through the years. Many weekends were spent travelling throughout Midwestern Ontario to local car shows, with them venturing as far as Pennsylvania for one event. It didn’t matter if they were in the 1954 Dodge pick-up truck, ‘67 Dart GTS, ‘70 Dart Swinger, or 2005 Honda S2000, a fun time was had by all! Betty enjoyed spending time in the kitchen and was a fabulous cook and baker. She was renowned for many of her creations, but particularly, her pineapple cake, lemon pie and Nanaimo bars, just to name a few. She was also proud of her five grandchildren, Jeff, Claire, John, Blake, and Nolan. She and Dean were regulars at their school and sporting activities, where they spent countless hours (and miles in the car) supporting their grandchildren. Betty was even beginning to figure out soccer! All joking aside, she was a godsend through the COVID-19 pandemic, as she was the go-to babysitter, when her children had to continue to work, but the grandkids were off school. She deeply treasured this time with them and enjoyed the uniqueness of each grandchild. There were many ice cream trips with Grandma. Although not big travellers, Betty and Dean dipped their feet in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in the same year, while experiencing Canada. She enjoyed a good pina colada and a nice fish dinner. She was drawn to her pets, and more recently, grand-pets, and loved the fall colours. Betty was a loving, giving woman who always encouraged those around her to believe in themselves. She was patient with others and liked to keep a tidy house … in other words, no clutter! No matter the barrier, she kept her head down and kept going. This was particularly evident in recent years, after her cancer diagnosis. Although there were many challenges and setbacks, Betty remained positive and persevered. She treasured the quality time with her children and grandchildren, and although ill herself, always put their needs before hers. She will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by all those who knew her. Visitation will be held at the Knox Presbyterian Church, Tiverton, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, from 10-10:45 a.m. A memorial service honouring Betty’s life will be held at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow. Private family inurnment at a later date in Purdy Cemetery, Greenock Township. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Purdy Cemetery, Saugeen Hospice Inc., or the Walkerton and District Hospital Foundation would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy; arrangements entrusted to the Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley; www.rhodyfamily.com.