“Your life was a blessing. Your memory a treasure. You are loved beyond words and will be missed beyond measure.”

Betty (Hoar) Matejka passed away peacefully on October 30, 2020 at the age of 92 years.  She lived her entire life in the Ponoka area.  Betty was raised in the Fertile Forest farming community; attending the Fertile Forest school until grade 9 then on to high school at the Ponoka Brick School.  She continued her education at the University of Alberta obtaining her Teaching degree.  Her first teaching position was at Ellice school east and south of Ponoka.  She then returned home to teach at the Fertile Forest school for a year.  She was one of the original teachers at Mecca Glen from 1949 to 1951. Once her children were all in school, she was a substitute teacher in Ponoka for many years.

Betty married Bill Matejka in 1951 and started their life together on Bill’s family homestead in Ponoka County. Together they raised five children - Dawn, Anne, Lori, John and Mark.  Betty and Bill farmed together with their sons until 2016 when they chose to retire and move to the Seasons Retirement Community in Ponoka.

She was well known for her volunteer efforts with many groups in the community.  Some of the groups were:  The Rest Room Association; United Church Ladies group, Explorer and CGIT; Grand Meadow Ladies; Seafield Ladies; Ponoka Agricultural Society; West Ponoka 4-H Beef Club; and, was a member of numerous committees.

Betty will be lovingly remembered by her husband Bill of 69 years and family.  She is survived by her children, Dawn, Anne (David), Lori, John, Mark (Kathy); her ten grandchildren, Hannah, Charis, Sarah, Zayen, Shanti (Kenji), Casandra (Brodie) Anderson, Ashley (Justin) Van Gyssel, Brittney, Carling & Tyson. Betty was also blessed with nine great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her mother Christine (Morrison) Skode, father Walter Hoar, brother Morris Hoar and sister Audrey (Hoar) Grier.

Those wishing to see Betty and pay their respects may do so by booking an appointment for a specified time during the day on Thursday, November 5.  Please call the Ponoka Funeral Home at 403.783.3122 to reserve your individual time.  This will allow us the best opportunity to keep everyone safe during this complicated time.

A private Funeral Service will be held at the Ponoka Funeral Home followed by the Interment Service in the family plot at Forest Home Cemetery on Friday, November 6, 2020.  The live-stream broadcast of the Funeral Service will begin at 2:00 p.m. and the recording will remain on this obituary page for the next 90 days should you not be able to participate at service time.  You will find the video viewer at the bottom of this page.

Donations in memory of Betty may be made to Ponoka & District Health Foundation.