Betty John who created carnival history in Trinidad by winning both the national carnival queen  contest in Port of Spain and the  local queen contest in her  hometown, San Fernando, in 1962, died at Bridgepoint hospital in Toronto  on November 17 last. She was 75.

Her son, Joel, said his mother who suffered from diabetes and leukemia, had been ailing for some time before her death.

A  popular masquerader in South Trinidad, John was a player in the band led  by Mack Copeland who designed her queen costumes.

In 1974 she migrated to Canada but her love for  Caribbean culture never waned, Joel said.

And she became actively involved in the  kiddies carnival in Toronto and started the first  class in “How to wine Trinidad-style,” he said.

She also worked in several mas’ camps in Toronto.

John worked for several years as a manager at a Toronto hotel.

A funeral service for the late Betty John was held at the chapel of the Ogden funeral home in Scarborough on  November 22 last.

She was buried at Pine Hills cemetery in Scarborough.

She leaves her two sons, Joel and Ignacio.