Betty Thompson

Betty Thompson (1934-1994) was a Canadian television presenter who spent most of her career at CKCO-TV in Kitchener, Ontario. She was seen throughout Canada as host of CTV's version of Romper Room, a children's programme produced at CKCO's studios.

She was born in Walkerton, Ontario, raised in Peterborough, Ontario and studied broadcasting at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. She was married twice and had three daughters, Susan, Patricia and Judith.

The annual Betty Thompson Golf Classic began in 1992 as a financial support for breast cancer education and research. She would die from this disease in 1994, four years after diagnosis. During her lifetime, Thompson would contribute to many charitable and community causes, particularly in Kitchener and its region.

CKCO career

• 1956: begins her career with the station, following graduation from Ryerson
• 1972-1975: becomes host of Romper Room as "Miss Betty" (CTV network)
• Ladies First
• The Flower Spot
• Be My Guest
• Tempo Ontario
• Betty and Friends
• 1992: became the station's community relations co-ordinator

Awards and recognition

• --: Kitchener Mayor's Dinner Honouree
• --: Rotary Club of Kitchener Paul Harris Fellow
• 1992: Kitchener-Waterloo Citizen of the Year by the twin-cities' Junior Chamber of Commerce
• 1992: Kitchener-Waterloo Cancer Society's fund raising campaign honorary chair
• 1995: Waterloo County Hall of Fame Inductee
• 2007: Waterloo 150 Project - "Profiles of the Past, Present and Future: Waterloo at 150"

External links

• Betty Thompson-Bauman
• Region of Waterloo: Betty Thompson profile (accessed 20 June 2006)
• CTV Southwestern Ontario: Community Champions (accessed 20 June 2006)
• Betty Thompson Golf Classic - Zonta Club of Kitchener Waterloo (accessed 15 January 2015)