Betty Kennedy was born on January 4, 1926, and died on March 21, 2017.
She was a Canadian broadcaster, journalist, author, and Senator,
Betty was best known for her work on radio and television.
She was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, graduated from Lisgar Collegiate Institute, and began her career with the Ottawa Citizen.
Betty became a broadcaster, as a host of a local radio show, during a newspaper strike.
Kennedy was soon hired away by CFRB in Toronto where she became host of The Betty Kennedy Show in 1959; the daily interview and public affairs show remained on the air for 27 years with Kennedy interviewing 25,000 guests ranging from Pierre Trudeau to Debbie Reynolds.
During 1962, Betty joined the panel of the current affairs quiz show Front Page Challenge on CBC Television, remaining with the show until it went off the air in 1995.
Betty wrote two books: Gerhard: A love story (1975), about her late first husband, and Hurricane Hazel (1979).
Her first husband, businessman Gerhard Kennedy, died of cancer in 1975.
Betty’s second husband was G. Allan Burton (1915-2002), CEO and Chairman of now defunct Simpsons department stores.
Kennedy was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien on June 20, 2000.
Betty retired less than six months later on her 75th birthday.
Betty Kennedy passed away at 91 years old.