Obituary of Jennifer Beatty

Jennifer (Levesque) Beatty, legally Jennifer Holly, age 49, passed away on June 21, just three days short of her 50th birthday on the Summer Solstice of 2026.

 

Born and raised in Ottawa on June 24, 1976, Jennifer lived loudly, loved fiercely, and refused to let cancer define the entirety of her story. Surrounded by the people she loved most, she leaves behind a family who were the centre of her world: her husband Brent; her children Brooklyn and Cooper; her parents Bill and Lynda; her brother Chris (Teena) and their children William and Katie; and Ted Holly, the father of her children. She also leaves behind her aunts, uncle, and numerous cousins and friends.

 

Jennifer was predeceased by her paternal grandparents, the late Bill and Margaret Levesque, and her maternal grandparents, the late Howard and Anita Boyle (Montagano), with whom she shared an especially close bond with her beloved Nanny.

 

Jennifer lived more life in her years than many do in a lifetime and, in her own words: “I leave this world deeply loved by my devoted husband Brent, my beautiful children Brooklyn and Cooper, my incredible parents Bill and Lynda Levesque, my brother Chris and sister-in-law Teena, my loyal companion Buckley, and my girl tribe. These are the people who carried me, laughed with me, fought for me, and loved me through every chapter.”

 

Jennifer brought passion into everything she did.

 

From a young girl whose love of soccer earned her a scholarship to study in the United States, to her early career at Walt Disney World in Florida, where she was selected among the top 10 candidates to represent Canada in the Canadian Pavilion at Epcot, she was always driven and entrepreneurial. She went on to build a remarkable career in sales and tourism, working with Ottawa Venues, Ottawa Tourism, Travel Alberta, Tourism Calgary, and ultimately finishing her career with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

 

She was also a co-founder of industry associations, including Destination Direct and Meeting of the Minds, helping tourism bureaus across Canada connect in ways she believed were missing.

 

One of her proudest accomplishments was her volunteer work with Meeting Professionals International (MPI). With MPI Ottawa, she served as a volunteer, board member, and eventually president. She later took on the role of Chair of MPI’s Global Board of Trustees, where she influenced change not only locally and nationally, but on a global stage. This included delivering a final professional speaking engagement that reflected her passion and leadership at the 2023 MPI World Education Congress in Mexico.

 

Jennifer was a fierce advocate for inflammatory breast cancer, often saying “use me” in her efforts to raise awareness of this aggressive and often misunderstood disease. She raised over $30,000 through the CIBC Run for the Cure, and her final contribution to both her industry and cancer research was co-hosting “Tea for Advocacy” at the Fairmont Château Laurier in October 2025, raising $71,000.

 

The family extends its deepest appreciation to the medical teams who supported Jennifer throughout her journey, including Dr. Moira Rushton, Medical Oncologist; Dr. Suzanne Rutherford, Family and Palliative Physician; and the nursing team at The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, including Rayelle, Kathy, Liz, and so many others who touched our lives during this time.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jennifer’s memory can be made to the Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Network Foundation Canada: Donate to IBC Network Canada

 

A private family service will be held in the near future. A celebration of Jennifer’s life will take place on August 22, with details to be shared with friends and the community via social media and her CaringBridge site.