YOUENS, Betty May

Betty May Looker was born on the 12th of June 1925 in Glenthompson to Leslie Albert and Gertrude Sarah Looker.  She was raised at the Dunkeld Royal Mail Hotel along with her 3 brothers and 1 sister.  Betty attended Dunkeld Consolidated School until her father returned from the war, after which they moved to Ballarat and took possession of the Black Hill Hotel.

After Betty's father died, her family moved to Ligar Street where she spent the rest of her childhood.  Betty attended Macarthur Street Primary and Ballarat Girls School.  Betty's love of dance developed after attending ballet lessons as a young girl.

Betty met the love of her life at a Ballarat dance and married Jack Youens at Burnbank Street Methodist Church in 1944. Betty and Jack built their family home together in Soldiers Hill and had two children, Jack and Carolyn.
Betty was employed at Owens Toy Factory prior to getting married and returned to work for a short time after having her children.

Betty loved to knit and many were seen in one of her items. She also started a home business with her neighbor, Elma, and baked beautiful sponges and cakes for various organizations and private bookings.

Betty enjoyed playing cards, and bowling for Serviceman’s Memorial Ladies Bowling Club. Together with her husband, Jack, they would travel to Forster every winter to escape the Ballarat cold and play bowls.
Betty and Jack looked after Betty’s grandmother until she died at age 101. She was a very caring person and continued caring for her dearly loved family until the day she died.

Betty passed away peacefully on the 9^th of August 2012, at the Ballarat Base Hospital, aged 87.

She is buried at the Ballarat New Cemetery (Lawn L, Row 10, Grave 25) with her beloved husband Jack Youens, and is dearly missed by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Thank you to Betty's family for these beautiful words.