Elizabeth "Betty" Rose Hicks

A celebration of Betty’s life took place at the Lauder
Hall, Lauder, MB. on Saturday, August 14, 2021 at 2:00pm

The family of Elizabeth Rose Hicks (nee Asmundson) announce her passing on Thursday, April 1, 2021 at the age of 82.

She was born on February 27, 1939 in Gladstone, Manitoba to Asmundur and Kristbjorg Jonina (Eliasson) Asmundson of Westbourne.  At one week of age she made the trip home to the farm in Billy Mowat’s horse and sleigh.  She spent the first 14 years of her life amidst her 11 brothers and sisters on the banks of the Whitemud River in the district her grandparents immigrated to in 1902 and 1904 from Iceland. 

Betty was an advanced student and graduated high school at the age of 15. She left home to work in Gladstone Hospital as ward-aide and then began teaching on permit at Bernice School District #547 near Napinka where she met and married Clare Hicks of Lauder.  From then on she lived the life of wife and mother while together they raised a family of 8.  Betty enjoyed the company of her children and quiet life along the Souris River for 30 years until she took a nurse’s aide – activity therapist course in 1987.  She worked in one capacity or the other in Deloraine, Killarney and Hartney while continuing training in palliative care.  She enjoyed working with the elderly of the community and especially sharing her musical talent.  Betty and Clare retired to Virden in 2001 where she continued to volunteer by sharing her beautiful music, stories and witty banter at Personal Care Homes.  She took pride in spearheading and participating in many of the musical jams across Southwest Manitoba.  Her interests were correspondence, cooking, music, reading, writing poetry, canning, gardening, enjoying the rural life and travelling about the prairie provinces with her husband Clare and their horses.  Her family was her main passion and she was immensely proud of her 8 children, 10 grandsons, 1 granddaughter, 2 great-granddaughters and 2 great grandsons.  They were her greatest joy and she was very proud of their activities and accomplishments. She spent countless hours babysitting her grandbabies, cooking, baking, knitting, crocheting and mending items for the family.  She enjoyed walks in the woods, trying new ethnic dishes, feeding the birds, photography and singing.  She played several instruments but her talent on the piano is what she will be remembered most for. She never took a music lesson in her life it all came to her from within. She only had to hear a song once to be able to play it for all.  

Betty enjoyed the natural setting of an old fashioned farm, the peace of country living, Clare’s cows and horses grazing, and nature’s beauty.

She was predeceased by her parents Asmundur and Kristbjorg Asmundson, 10 siblings and their spouses, Edward Asmundson, Anna Burnell, Solveig “Sal” Gibson, Kristjana Zaporzan,  Asta “Jo” Mitchell, Clara Hadfield, Laura Zanewich, Helga Gibson, Frances Brown, Harold Asmundson, brother-in-law Gerald Hicks and grandson Jason MacKenzie. 

Remembering Betty is her husband Clare and her eight children: Kim (Graham) MacKenzie of Pipestone, sons, Derek MacKenzie (Eva) & Cole of Lexington, KY, Jason’s daughter Sarah MacKenzie of Innisfail, AB, and Gavin (Cheryl) Mackenzie of Pipestone, (Rylee & Luke), Jacqi Hicks of Hartney, Morley (Donna) Hicks of Deloraine, Lisa Hicks of Virden, Ryan (Sara) Hicks of Virden (son Ethan), Tanya Hicks (Fur babies Prince and Chewbacca) of Virden, Marla (Alan) Wilson of Virden, (sons Coyle, Dalton, and Leif), Brendan (Trisha) Hicks of Hartney (children, Lincoln, Carson, Aidrik, and Vanessa); brother Harvey (Carolyn) Asmundson of Edmonton, two sisters-in-law Evelyn Hicks of Hartney, Norma Asmundson of Winnipeg; brother-in-law Joe Brown of Winnipeg; also numerous nieces and nephews. 

The family wishes to thank the staff at the Hartney Personal Care Home for the excellent care they showed Mom over the past 13 months, the Virden Home Care Workers that treated her like their Gramma and her family wishes to thank everyone for their acts of kindness shown.

Keep a song in your heart and as per Betty’s wishes if you can please visit a shut-in, a care-home, an elderly friend or relative or if you wish make a donation in her name to the Hartney Personal Care Home Activity Department Box 280, Hartney, MB.  R0M 0X0 or a facility of your choice.

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