Betty Stoupe

Betty Jean Stoupe passed away peacefully at the age of 71 on July 7th following a fierce battle with cancer. Her days were spent wrapped in the love of family and friends. 

Betty was born to George and Vi Wood in northern Manitoba, she was the first of six children. She grew up in a small northern mining town where she met the love of her life, Ken Stoupe. After graduating she ventured to the big city of Winnipeg for work and the excitement of city life. From there she headed west to Alberta following Ken to the grand adventures that the west had to offer. Ken and Betty were married in April and welcomed their daughter Karen within the year. Two years later Darren was born completing their family of four. Betty lived the life of an oilfield wife and skillfully took care of her family, her home and anyone who stopped by. Her homes in Red Deer, Lacombe, Grande Prairie, Blackfalds, Benalto, and Tees were always open to family and friends from near and far. So many memories have amassed around her dining room table, the fire pit and on the back deck.

Betty lived a life filled with grace, gratitude, humility and compassion. She shared her time and love generously with anyone who entered her life. She was a master of forgiveness and lived with an open heart for anyone in need. In Betty’s final months her legacy of being a wonderful friend was witnessed daily as friends and family came to visit, called, sent messages, gave and received hugs, laughed, shed tears and reminisced about the experiences they had with Betty over the years. Perhaps the greatest gift she will leave us is the legacy of love that she lived daily. 

Betty leaves her legacy to be carried on by Ken Stoupe, her husband of 50 years; her daughter Karen and son-in-law Don, grandchildren Sam (Adalyn) and Elsie, her son Darren, her brothers and sisters, Kent, John, Janet (Claude), Leone (Marc), and Hilton (Val). She is loved by many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Betty will be dearly missed by a legion of friends that she collected over the years. Betty is predeceased by her parents, George and Vi Wood, and her mother-in-law Alice Gillespie.

Betty loved to visit, laugh and share. She had an infectious laugh that welcomed others to join in the fun. She will go down in Wood and Stoupe family history as having the world’s GREATEST dill pickles and perhaps the VERY BEST SNACK cupboard. Betty always shared whatever she had be it pickles, antipasto, treats, homemade meals, laughter, tears, a hug (she was a hugger), a place at her kitchen table or her spare bed. She loved to be in the company of others. She got immense joy from spending time with her grandchildren; she said that they were the best part of getting to be a parent. Betty loved and lived bravely and never turned away from adversity, but rather faced it with a warrior’s spirit, never once giving up. She spent her life bettering herself always living “one day at a time”. 

Betty found great solace in the following words and we hope that they might touch your life as they have hers. 

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can and 

the wisdom to know the difference. 

A celebration of Betty’s life and legacy will be held on Friday, August 18, 2023 at the Tees Hall in Tees, Alberta at 1:00 pm.

Memoriam donations can be made to:

Lacombe Palliative Care Society https://www.lacombepalliativecare.com/ 

Team Jigger Foundation https://www.teamjigger.com/

The Lending Cupboard https://www.lendingcupboard.ca/donation 

(These organizations allowed us to make Betty’s last weeks more comfortable.)