Betty Lou (Killam) Strong

Obituary for Betty Lou Strong (August 26, 1933 – December 12, 2020)

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Betty Lou Strong (Killam) at Etobicoke General Hospital. She will be sorely missed by her children, Norval Boyd Strong Jr. and Karen Elaine English (Strong). She was extremely close to both of us and she leaves a huge hole in our hearts.

Betty grew up in the Moncton, NB area and moved to Toronto, ON (in approximately 1961) after briefly living in Goose Bay, Nfld and Labrador, Magantic and the Quebec City areas of Quebec.

Her passion throughout her childhood and teenage years was playing the piano. She was written up on a regular basis by the local Moncton newspaper for her achievements in examinations and competitions.

Later in life her love turned to horse racing and she was able to fulfill a lifetime dream by participating in horse ownership. Her most beloved horse was Brilliant Gamble who earned almost $500,000 during his racing career. At 13 years of age she retired “Gamble” to a farm in Elora, ON to live out his final years. He was cared for and loved at the farm of Margaret and Bob Wilson who treated him as if he was their own. Gamble passed away in 2019 at the age of 26.

Betty will be greatly missed by her grandchildren Stevie Nicole Strong and Devon Robert Donald Strong, their mother Shirley Darlene Strong (Payne), as well as Devon’s fiancée Emily Victoria Hutchison.

Of particular importance in the New Brunswick area, she leaves behind her cousin Earl Raymond Killam, his wife Patricia Killam (Elliott) and their son David Killam.

Betty will also be missed by her current son-in-law Richard Allen Himel, and her prior son-in-law Robert Bruce English.

Betty was predeceased (widowed) by her three husbands (Sam Durbano, Norval Boyd Strong Sr. and Andrew Robert Strong) together with her mother Helen Elizabeth Killam (Ryder) and her father Lewis Earl Killam.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting that donations be made to the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society ( https://www.osas.ca/donations ) in her name.