Obituaries

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Betty Louise Clubbe (Burke), aged 86, of Dartmouth, NS. Betty passed away peacefully, at the Dartmouth General Hospital, on the morning of Monday, April 7, 2025, after a brief illness.

Born in Drumhead NS, in 1938, she was the eldest child of Minnie Erma (Langley) and Sterling Clyde Burke.

Betty was raised in Drumhead, and at 18, drawn by the excitement of city life, she moved to Halifax to live with her aunt, Elizabeth Scanlon (Langley). She worked at Moirs chocolate factory, attended secretarial school and also held a job at a local restaurant during those early years. Betty was a talented singer in her youth, performing at many local concerts. She also loved to dance and cherished time spent with friends and family.

She lived in Dartmouth for most of her life, but would visit Drumhead often, with her children, to spend time with family.

She met her first husband at a navy personnel dance in Halifax. They married in 1960 and had five children. Becoming a single mother in the 1960s, a time when few supports were available, Betty faced life’s challenges with remarkable courage, resilience and practicality. She not only provided for her family but also became a source of strength and encouragement for other mothers in her community. Her children's friends were always welcome in their home. She was called, 'Mum', by many.

In mid-life, Betty returned to school to study cosmetology, bravely joining a class of students half her age. She was an avid reader of the Chronicle Herald and rarely missed her morning ritual of reading "the paper." In 1987, she met the love of her life, Donald Clubbe, at a dance with friends. They were married in 1988. Together, they shared many happy years, filled with dancing, companionship, love and laughter.

Betty was known for her sharp wit and wry sense of humour, which never wavered, even through life’s many challenges. Her enduring spirit earned her the phrase coined by her mother: 'tough as an old pine knot.' In her later years, as health issues kept her at home, she found comfort in the company of her family, her beloved pets through the years, word puzzles, online card games, and watching NASCAR races. Number 22, Joey Legano was her most recent favourite. She also enjoyed watching crime dramas for most of her life. Everything from Colombo to CSI.

Betty will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered for her strength, humour, resilience and unforgettable character.

She is survived by her husband, Donald Clubbe, her children, James (Paulette) Reid, Heather Reid, Cheryl (Sean) Vincent, and Tracy (William West) Reid, all of Dartmouth, NS; as well as 8 grandchildren and many great grandchildren and great great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, Minnie Erma (Langley) and Sterling Clyde Burke, her son, Darren Clyde Reid, and her brother, Barry Clyde Burke.

Cremation has taken place, under the care of Donald K. Walker Funeral Directors, Dartmouth, NS. A celebration of Betty's life, with family and close friends, will be held at a later date.

Special thanks to the nurses of Dartmouth General's palliative care unit, for their attentiveness, kindness and caring.