Obituary of Elizabeth Sims

<h1>Elizabeth (Betty) Sims</h1> 1934-2010 Betty Sims passed away on Wednesday August 18, 2010 at The Westmount Long Term Care Centre, Kitchener, Ontario. Betty was 75 years old. Betty was born in Brunswick, Georgia, eldest child of Marshall Sumner and Elizabeth Byers. In 1956, she obtained her economics degree from Duke University. On a tour of Europe in 1954, Betty met Peter Sims and, in 1957, they married. Betty is survived by her husband Peter, their five children Harvey, Ellen, Kenneth, Alison (Smerchinski) and Margaret, their eight grandchildren Michael and Daniel Sims, Lyla, Peter, Eve, Ivy and Grace Smerchinski and Ella Sims, her son in law Rick Smerchinski and her sisters and their husbands Eleanor and Fritz Moore and Marcia and John Loveless. When her youngest daughter entered grade one, Betty began her career at the aerospace company Chicopee Manufacturing Limited. In 1976, she started at the company as a systems manager and introduced the company’s first computer system. She went on to be the company’s president and general manager from 1984 until her retirement in 1999. While raising her children and throughout her professional career, Betty was a meaningful and effective contributor to her community. Her volunteer contribution included membership and terms as the president or chairman of the Grand River Hospital Foundation Board, Waterloo Region Hospital Foundations Joint Steering Committee, Wilfred Laurier University Board of Governors, K-W University Women’s Club, Kitchener Liberal Association, the Kitchener Public Library Board and the K-W Bilingual School. Betty managed Federal and Provincial Liberal campaigns in the 1970’s. She also served as a director of the Rotary Children’s Centre Foundation (now Kidsability), K-W Community Foundation, the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, Freeport Hospital and as a committee member on the Regional Municipality of Waterloo Chairman’s Task Force on the Regional Economy, the Province of Ontario Ministerial Advisory Committee on the Aerospace Industry and the Ontario Aerospace Council. Betty was a director of Union Gas Limited, the chair of the Kitchener Power Corp., Kitchener Wilmot Hydro Inc. and Fibertech (Kitchener) Inc. Betty was awarded a Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977, a Wilfrid Laurier University Outstanding Business Leader Award in 1989, an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2000, and a Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. As important as her career and her community involvement, Betty was devoted to her husband and best friend Peter and their family. She enriched her family and friends’ lives with dinners, parties, trips, bridge matches, her sense of humour, stories and her beautiful garden. Friends and relatives are invited to attend the memorial visitation at the Erb &amp; Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street S., Waterloo, Ontario on Wednesday August 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. The memorial service will be held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 54 Queen St. N., Kitchener on Thursday August 26 at 11 a.m. There will be a reception following the service at Westmount Golf &amp; Country Club, Ltd., 50 Inverness Drive, Kitchener, Ontario. Condolences for the family and donations to The Alzheimer Society or to Kidsability Foundation may be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519.745.8445. The family is grateful for the compassionate care provided by the staff of The Westmount Long Term Care Centre.