‘A piece of us all has passed away’

Wentworth says goodbye to North America’s oldest biker

For most of 100 plus years, Bun Betts was a familiar, if not much beloved, member of the Wentworth Community. With his passing it seems as though a little part of the community has died with him.

Betts died in hospital in Pugwash on April 30. He was 102.

“Bun was the love of my life. He was an amazing guy,” said Darlene Turnbull, who worked with Betts for many years at Ski Wentworth. “He was so easy to work with and his humour was not like anyone I’ve ever met.”

Turnbull, who lives and Wentworth and now works for the Victorian Order of Nurses in Amherst, spent a decade working alongside Betts at the popular ski hill. She said every day was a fun day for Betts and she never met a more dedicated and hard-working person.

“He was dependable and he loved the ski hill,” Turnbull said. “When he said he was going to do something, he did it and if you brought him something that was broken, he would fix it.”

Betts was instrumental in the early development and success of Ski Wentworth. In the 1950s, he and his brother, Allison, built the original lodge, which is still used today as the locker and ski patrol building. He also helped build the first rope tow east of Montreal.

In total, he worked close to 60 years at Ski Wentworth – well into his 90s – and he was presented an award, incidentally, named in his honour as employee of the year in 2012.

Leslie Wilson, general manager of Ski Wentworth, said there likely wouldn’t be a Ski Wentworth if it had not been for Betts.

Betts ran A.T. Betts and Sons Lumber Ltd. until his retirement in 1982. It was his tractor that carved a lot of the runs at the ski hill.

“He was an absolutely incredible person,” Wilson said. “He was a real pioneer of the Nova Scotia and the Atlantic Canada ski industry.”

Wilson said Betts was the go-to ski technician for decades and is credited with hand-crafting the first set of wooden skis with metal edges. She said he was an inventor, who could fix almost anything.

“He had a brilliant mind,” Wilson said. Wilson said Betts and her father, Dave, were very close friends.

“Those two were so tight. When they got together the stories you’d hear,” Wilson said. “He’s been around here since I was a kid and I think I’ve been around this place since I was two. A piece of us all has passed away.”

Betts was also a licensed pilot and member of the Truro Flying Club and he was an avid biker. He owned many bikes from a Vespa scooter to a Honda Goldwing motorcycle. He was an honorary member of the Amherst Defenders Motorcycle Club and he was recognized by newspapers and magazines across the continent.

In 2019, Wilson was recognized by the community on his 100th birthday. At the time, he was the oldest active motorcyclist in North America and he continued to hit the road on a regular basis to see the countryside on two wheels.

“I was going to ride the bike here today, but one of my nephews talked me out of it,” Betts said the day of the celebration. “I had the bike all prepared, the helmet was on, I had the key and was ready to go. I thought everyone would want me to come on the bike. He drove in the yard, saw me and suggested with the rain it probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”

Betts said there’s no secret to his longevity.

“I think it’s doing what you want, when you want and enjoying life,” he said.