BROOKS, Betty (nee OKURA) -
1944 – 2024
Passed away peacefully, on Monday, April 29, 2024 at Scarborough General Hospital, on her 80th birthday.
Born on April 29, 1944 in Port Arthur (Thunder Bay), Ontario, to the late Kenji Kakutaro Okura and Nancy Hatsumi Okura (nee Hashimoto). Betty's parents were Canadians of Japanese descent.
In spite of being loyal citizens of Canada, they were racially cleansed from the BC coastal region in 1942, under the War Measures Act.
They ended up in Toronto with 4 children in a household without money, but full of love.
Betty was married to her husband, Bill Brooks, for 57 years.
She worked as an executive secretary at the Toronto Board of Education for 18 years, then joined Bill as a full partner in their travel photography business for a further 20 years.
Bill and Betty travelled the world. Their favourite places were Banff, Alberta, Maui, Hawaii, and Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy. At home in Toronto, Betty doted on her nephews, Matthew Okura, Tim Okura, and Chris Hope.
Betty also reconnected with her sister, Marion Hope, brother, Tom Okura, and mother, Nancy Hatsumi Okura.
In her last year, Betty's declining health made her eligible for M.A.I.D. (Medical Assistance In Dying). She passed away peacefully, on her 80th birthday, with her loving husband, Bill, holding her hand. Betty and Bill would like to thank all of the compassionate staff in the Palliative Care Unit and the M.A.I.D. team at Scarborough General Hospital.
In lieu of Koden, the family would appreciate donations made to the Scarborough Health Network Foundation at www.shnfoundation.ca or the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre at: www.jccc.on.ca.
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