Elizabeth "Betty" Kathleen Andrews (15 Sep 1930 - 24 Oct 2023)

In loving memory of Elizabeth Kathleen 'Betty' Andrews who sadly passed away on 24th October 2023, aged 93 years.

Elizabeth (Betty) Crossfield was born on Walney Island, Barrow in Furness, to John and Kathleen Crossfield, on 15th September 1930. Her father worked at Vickers shipyard, her mother was trained as a nurse but settled to being a mum with the arrival of Betty, followed by her brothers John and Len.

Betty trained as a nurse and in the early 1950s travelled to Malaya with the British Red Cross to assist the civilian population during the Civil Emergency that had been declared. There she met the somewhat reluctant Army doctor, Lieutenant John Andrews, newly qualifed and doing his National Service. They fell in love and married on Walney before moving to the West Country, where John had secured his first role as a GP in the NHS. John and Betty moved to Gillingham in 1960, with their first son Donald, and later with daughter Josephine and second son Richard, settled to life in Second Avenue. John became a senior partner in his surgery, always with Betty helping and supporting him. John and Betty enjoyed travel, gardening, and good food and wine, and the amused despair at the antics of their children (and later, their grandchildren). In 1992, Betty suffered a potentially life-changing illness but recovered, thanks to the care of the team at the Brook Hospital in London.

When John died in 1999, Betty became more active in the life of St Augustine's church - she was part of the flower arranging team and attended church every Sunday, welcoming friends old and new. Eventually though, the effects of Betty's earlier illness started to catch up with her and she accepted that she could no longer live independently; in 2011 she moved into Charing House and was cared for there until it was time to be with her beloved John once more...

Donations in lieu of flowers in Betty's memory would be gratefully received for 'Dementia UK' and may be made online via the link on this page.