Betty Richardson, of Garth Heads Road, Appleby, died in the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle on 30th September, having celebrated her 90th birthday with family and friends on 3rd September.
Born at the cottages of Howgill Castle, near Milburn in 1933, with her parents, Frances and George Sowerby, she moved to Cross Croft in Bongate where her sister Hazel was born. The family then moved to Beech Croft, Bongate, and started the massive enterprise of setting up a market garden and nursery.
Betty’s role was that of managing a large and rather dilapidated house, designed as a French “Cottage Ornee” and not at all suited to Westmorland weather!
Aged 14, Betty met the love of her life, the late David Richardson. Following David’s National Service, they were married at St Michael’s Church in Bongate on a snowy day in December 1955. Their children, Brenda and Paul, were born in 1957 and 1960.
When David set up in business in 1965, Betty was always involved, on the telephone and keeping the books. She was soon ready to test out her own entrepreneurial skills though and she set up Betty’s Corner sports and fishing shop in The Cloisters. Betty hosted the first iteration of the tourist information centre in Appleby. She really enjoyed this work, helping visitors to find accommodation and providing information about the town and surrounding area.
Betty was passionate about Appleby and was very concerned that many young people left the town in search of work and further education elsewhere. On this ticket, she was elected to the town council and served a four-year term in the 1970s.
Along with David, she was a long-term member of the Royal British Legion, which provided a guard of honour at her funeral. Through the women’s section, she was regularly involved in fundraising and sold poppies each autumn for most of her adult life, for which she received a medal for 40 years’ service in selling poppies in the town.
Along with all the other wives and partners, Betty was a great supporter of David’s commitment to Appleby Fire Service. The highlight of the fire service social calendar was the annual barbecue – Betty’s careful planning meant this was a hugely successful fundraiser, and also a brilliant event!
Betty and David loved dancing and together helped to run the Appleby dancing group at the grammar school. Betty thoroughly enjoyed the sparkle and glamour and cut a pretty neat figure in her tiny size three dancing shoes!
The couple were happily married for 57 years and were honoured to receive a card from the late Queen Elizabth II on their diamond wedding anniversary in 2015.
In the 1980s, they were delighted to become grandparents to Jonathan, Claire and then Edward. They then became great-grandparents to Lyra in 2015 and Celeste in 2019.
After losing David, life became increasingly challenging for Betty as her mobility steadily decreased. The support of close family and the impeccable care provided by Eden Country Care meant she was able to remain in her own home until her final day.
She was a much-loved member of her family and her community and will be very much missed.
