Obituary of Betty Burnside

January 28th, 1929 – December 18th, 2025

Betty (Martin) Burnside passed away peacefully Thursday December 18, 2025 at the age of 96, surrounded by family and staff at Lookout Ridge in Fonthill, Ontario.

Betty was a child of the depression born and raised in North Toronto. She grew up in the settler community that developed near Victoria Park and Lawrence attending East York Collegiate and graduating from grade 13 in 1948. She worked part time in the Georgian Room at Eaton’s during high school and continued her employment after graduation in the sales reporting department. It was while working at Eaton’s that she met Norm, marrying in October 1959.

Betty was a dedicated member of the Anglican Church Women at St John’s York Mills and later volunteered in the cardiac waiting room of Toronto General Hospital for over 25 years. She moved from her beloved Toronto to Fonthill in 2021 to be near family, keeping her mind sharp throughout her life with her love of reading the newspaper and daily crosswords, all with a good cup of coffee.

Betty was predeceased by her husband Norm, parents Maude and Robert Martin and brothers, Ross, Bob, Dave, and George. She will be remembered always by her daughters Norma Blissett and partner Dan Oicle, Lynne Burnside and her husband Greg Lewis, and her sister Nora MacDonald. Betty’s beloved grandchildren, Doug, Mathew, and Hope Blissett, alongside Katie and Julia Lewis, will forever remember their grandmother’s fierce pride in all of their accomplishments and her love of finding any excuse for treat time with each of them.

A service will be held at Lookout Ridge Retirement Community Fonthill on January 11th, 2026 at 1:15 pm with interment of ashes at St John’s York Mills in Toronto at a later date. Remembrances, if desired, can be made to Holy Trinity Church Fonthill, 1557 Pelham Street N., P.O. Box 1429, Fonthill, ON, L0S 1E0.