Yellowknife (Sep 12/03) - Death is not a light going out; Rather it is a candle being extinguished because the dawn has come.

That is how the family of Beatrice (Betty) Stevens will remember her.

Stevens, 92, died Sept. 5 at Aven Manor, where she had been living for the last seven years.

Stevens was one of the remaining pioneers who could recall the 1940s when Yellowknife was no more than a few shacks strewn across the land.

She was predeceased by her husband, Jack, who found Ptarmigan mine and Ray Rock Uranium Mine. He died in 1991.

The couple raised six children, had 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Stevens, who was born in Marcelin, Sask., did not have the look of a pioneer though.

"She was slight of build, slender, even delicate looking," recalled her great friend Teresa Crane during a ceremony at St. Patrick's Parish.

But that wasn't who she was.

"These external characteristics belied the reality of a woman whose inner core was strong, courageous, resilient and enduring," said Crane.

The Stevens' moved to Yellowknife in 1944 after five years in Vancouver.

Jack travelled North to care for business interests and prepare a place to receive his growing family.

Three children

So with three children -- Helen, Frank and Renee -- the adventurers hopped on an eight-passenger floatplane and headed for their new home.

Stevens was not quite prepared for the North. Wearing a silver fox fur, a brimmed hat and high heels, she stepped onto the rickety docks and promptly asked to be directed to the sidewalk, as yet to be introduced to the community.

She quickly learned to deal with the realities of Yellowknife at the time: outhouses, no roads, hauling water from the lake, and wood stoves. The family made their home on School Draw Ave., first in a log cabin and later in what was referred to as The Big House.

Three more additions to the family would see the light in Yellowknife: Linda, Alice and David.

Linda was even brought home from the hospital by dog team.

The move from log cabin to a larger home wasn't an easy one on Christmas Eve in 1955.

Lost the turkey

"She always had a laugh about losing the turkey on the way into the house. They had packed everything from the log cabin but the turkey went missing until the next day," said daughter Linda Henry.

Stevens didn't take long to become active in this new environment.

Within two weeks of arriving in Yellowknife, she became involved with the Catholic Women's League and the Daughters of the Midnight Sun. She would later be awarded honourary life memberships from both groups.

Stevens didn't stop there. She became a member of the Children's Aid Society and helped with the Vincent Massey Branch and the Women's Auxiliary of the Royal Canadian Legion.

In the 1960s the Stevens' opened their home to Northerners travelling from the Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton, as well as to children from social services.

When she was 58, Stevens began working for the Children's Receiving Home. She retired at 65, but continued there as a relief cook until 69.

What many will remember about Stevens, though, will be her love of music, particularly performing it for others.

"Mother would never turn down an opportunity to entertain. She played with her own band for many years, even travelling to mines to play," recalled Linda.

The piano was Stevens' instrument of choice.

Piano player

She learned to play when she was only three years old, and her children remember going to sleep with the sound of the piano playing until well into the night.

Her time at Aven Manor didn't hinder her love for the arts. In fact, she and her good friend Agnes Burgess, who died in 2001, would put on shows at Aven Manor for their fellow residents.

Her love of music prompted St. Patrick high school to name a room for her.

A multi-purpose music and drama room there was named the Betty Stevens Room seven years ago in her honour.

"When it came time to name it, in 1996, we researched and discovered a great deal about Betty Stevens in terms of her impact on performing arts in Yellowknife," said Johnnie Bowden, principal at St. Pat's, on Tuesday.

Henry said her mother was really excited about that honour.

As for Bowden, the choice seemed easy.

"We believe she was a great model to our youth, and all of us, in pursuing our passions and enjoying life. We were taken by her spirit, by the fact she was an early pioneer, a solid role model, and a strong supporter of the St. Patrick parish," Bowden said.

Another passion for Stevens was travelling.

During her 60s, she travelled by bus from Canada to Mexico.

In her 70s she went camping in France. In her 80s, Nova Scotia was the destination.

Stevens also travelled to Brazil, South Africa, Europe and Israel.