Tributes are paid after the death of town legend Betty
TRIBUTES have been paid after the death of ‘Mrs Bollington’. Those who knew her say former Mayor of Bollington Betty Bonson, who lived in the town for her whole life, was ‘a true Bollingtonian’ always willing to help people.
Former Bollington Mayor Betty, 88, sat on Bollington Town Council for 30 years and remained an honorary councillor until she died on March 8 at Carmel Lodge Care Home, Adlington.
She was former-secretary of the Mayor of Bollington’s Senior Citizen’s Committee, worked closely with the NSPCC, and even had a road in Bollington named after her – Hamson Drive, taken from her maiden name.
Betty’s daughter, Debbie Fazl-Lavassani, said: “People knew her as Mrs Bollington. She was very kind, always collecting people’s pensions and putting lotteries on for them. We had so many laughs together. She always said ‘ Misery gets you nowhere’.”
The grandmother-ofthree and mother to Debbie, 54, and Annette Fisher, 60, was one of 100 nominees for Cheshire Woman of the Year 1998 for her NSPCC work, a legacy from her mother, Mary Hamson, who started the organisation’s Bollington branch.
She also loved dancing. Debbie said: “She met my dad at a dance and her favourite song was The Mavericks’ Dance The Night Away.”
A member of the Bollington Ramblers, she travelled widely too to Canada, Australia and Germany.
Former Mayor of Bollington Sylvia Roberts said: “Betty was a treasure, generous to a fault. She was one of life’s enhancers, no airs and graces, common sense, a generous heart and a loyal friend, all wrapped up in one tall elegant figure.
“She will be truly missed.”
Angela Williams, Mayor of Bollington, said: “She was a true Bollingtonian, always helping and giving her time freely.”
Former Express editor Dave Lafferty also paid tribute. He said: “Betty was a legendary figure in Bollington, what she didn’t know about the town wasn’t worth knowing.
“She was hugely respected and, as a young reporter covering the patch, she was very welcoming but also quick to tell you if she didn’t agree with something we’d published.
“She will be sadly missed by all in Bollington.”
Betty’s funeral will be at St Michael’s Church on Tuesday, March 29, at 11am with refreshments at the Hollin Hall Hotel, Jackson Lane, Kerridge at 1pm.