THE family of Betty Burns say they will “never forget” the presence of the much-loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, who passed away on Anzac Day.
Mrs Burns, 98, died of pneumonia at Redland Hospital.
She was part of a multi-generational Redlands pioneering family that ran a small crop farm along Bloomfield, Long and Princess Sts.
Her late husband, Douglas Burns, the son of William and Bertha Burns, was the third generation to run the farm, working alongside his brother Eddie.
The farm produced capsicums, cauliflowers and tomatoes, and had a large plantation of bananas.
Daughter Patricia Morrison, from Cleveland, said the original farmhouse was still in Bloomfield St.
“Dad was called to the army and went to Glen Innes on the Brisbane line,” she said.
“It was there he met Betty, and she followed him home.”
The couple married at Cleveland Uniting Church in Passage St in 1944 and raised three children – Albert (now deceased), Patricia and Shirley – who attended Cleveland State School.
“Ours was the life on a farm. That’s what we knew. It was a good life,” Mrs Morrison said.
Mrs Morrison said that up to her death, her mother lived independently at her home on 8000sqm of land in Fitzroy St.
“The family has been paying rates on that land for 106 years,” she said.
“Imagine that – paying rates for 106 years.”
The land will now be sold and is large enough to accommodate 24 houses.
Mrs Burns was a keen lawn bowls player at Cleveland and later enjoyed regular indoor bowls at the Donald Simpson Leisure Centre, playing until she lost her vision.
“She and Dad travelled the world and had a wonderful time,” Mrs Morrison said.
“We all have knick-knacks that she brought home for the grandchildren.”
Mrs Morrison said her mother’s ashes would be scattered near the water where her husband’s ashes were placed, with a family memorial service planned.
Mrs Burns is survived by two children, eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
She was one of 11 siblings, with two sisters and one brother remaining.
