Well known Hebden villager dies (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Well known Hebden villager dies

4:35pm Thursday 16th February 2012 in Skipton & The Dales

Many people have happy memories of Betty Pearson, who lived in Hebden for most of her life.

Eighty-year-old Betty died in Craven Nursing Home, Skipton, on February 2, having lived at Gills Top Residential Home, Grassington, for the past four years following a stroke.

Betty was born at Saxelby Farm, Hebden, the second child of John and Margaret Herd, a well known farming family. She attended Hebden School before leaving at the age of 14 to train as a hairdresser at Oliver Greenwood’s on Skipton High Street. She later worked at the town’s Reckitt and Colman’s factory.

Betty met her husband, Walter Pearson, from Pateley Bridge at a dance. They married at Hebden Chapel on May 29, 1954, and lived on Green Terrace.

Betty went to the Chapel Sunday School as a girl and joined the chapel committee. She became secretary of Hebden Village Institute Committee in 1974, a role which she carried out for 20 years. She particularly enjoyed helping with the children’s Christmas parties and made a Santa outfit which has seen good service. She was also on Hebden Sports Committee.

Betty worked as a home care assistant for North Yorkshire County Council for some years and later cared for an elderly man on a regular basis in her own time.

Her husband Walter died suddenly in 1982, aged 61, but she gained comfort from her two sons, John and Kevin.

A funeral service will be held at Hebden Methodist Church next Thursday, February 23, at 1pm.

Betty is survived by her sons, a granddaughter and grandson and her younger sister and brother.