Betty Winston

There to Help

Mildred (Betty) Winston first felt the inner joy of helping others during her teenage years. In that time, she witnessed and took part in the sharing that her parents and grandparents did with those who were suffering during the Great Depression. The qualities she learned as a girl became a central part of her life. This has been a life of helping others within her family and community ... a period of service that has spanned 60 years and continues to this day. A life that has seen more hours spent in the care and comfort of others than for herself. She has been there for a half-dozen aging family members, easing the solitude and anxieties of their final years, a dependable presence of strength, compassion and competence they so desperately needed. Denying her own fatigue or illness, she stood firmly as their advocate, advisor and intermediary as they passed through the inevitable stages of hospitalization, nursing care and dying. She and her family have opened their home and hearts to others seeking love, nurturing and support. When death or misfortune strike, she is there to lift part of the burden for those who are weakened or give encouragement to those who despair. With unflagging energy and enthusiasm, she volunteers herself in new areas each year. Enthused by new challenges and needs, she works with her husband, Donald, in a marriage that has mirrored her life. They work together in the trenches or leading the effort to meet many of the special needs of the elderly and the children of their community. Her life has meant sacrificing goals or dreams she might have held but it was through her efforts that the visions and hopes of others were realized.

7/1/96