Bettye Jane Hayes, age 94 years, 11 months and 22 days, was born March 31, 1925, in Prescott, Mo. She was the daughter of E.J. and Ola (Upton) Haney. She passed away March 22, 2020 at Texas County Memorial Hospital surrounded by her family.
She was united in marriage on March 15, 1944, to Robert Fred “Jack” Hayes. He passed away on Dec. 15, 1963. To this union, six children were born.
She attended Brown Hill School for four years before moving to the river and attending Ellsworth School near the Boiling Springs community. She walked with her sister Madge two miles to and from school each day. She was baptized along with her daughter, Judy Ann on Sept. 12, 1965, at Dogs Bluff on the Big Piney River.
As a mother, she tended, she provided, she nurtured, she loved and she cherished and taught discipline to her entire family from young to old. She was a great cook and loved to provide meals to her family and friends from Gooseberry Pies and Blackberry Cobblers to Ham and Beans with Fried Potatoes and Homemade Biscuits and Gravy. She also never met a stranger, was very social and loved to travel as part of the “fab five,” with Mary, Bernie, Dora and Linda. She also had a very special bond during her three-week stay at Houston House with her roommate, Darlene.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jack; a sister, Madge; son, Bruce Lynn; and grandson, Bobby Jack. She was also preceded in death by her sister, and brothers in-law, Hazel (Hayes) Wheeler, Willard Hayes, Helen (Hayes) Shelton, Hartis (Hayes) Collins, Wilbert Hayes, Tressie (Hayes) Smrek, Dorothy (Hayes) Rauscher and Vera (Hayes) Leek; and her special sister-in-law / traveling companion Mary Hayes.
Survivors include her children: Jerri Kaye (Larry) Foxworthy, Robert Fred “Joe” Hayes Jr., Larry Eugene (Bonnie) Hayes, Roger Lee (Nancy) Hayes, and Judy Ann (Bruce) Smith all of Texas County; her grandchildren: Ron Foxworthy of San Francisco, Calif., Debbie (Foxworthy) Booker of Boonville, Mo., Cindy (Smith) Stafford, Roger Lee Hayes, Stan Smith, Jamie Hayes all of Houston, Mo., Jason Smith of Liberty Hill, Texas, and Karri (Hayes) Keller of Summersville, Mo.; 18 great-grandchildren; 15 great-great -grandchildren; many nieces, and nephews whom she adored; and by a brother-in-law, Johnny Hayes of Vienna, Mo.
She worked many years at various community establishments including Chatterbox Cafe, The Lee Factory and Brown Shoe Company until its closure. During her retirement years she worked for Green Thumb / Experience Work including FmHA Rural Development, The Texas Country Library, Raymondville and Houston Schools, U.S. Department of Agriculture, The County Courthouse Tax Assessor and Missouri University Extension – Texas County. She fully retired at the age of 90 years old, saying, “I should have never retired!”
She loved to embroidery and read. She never missed a birthday party, family dinner, cookout or reunion. She enjoyed playing dominoes, bingo, rummy and pitch or any opportunity to spend time with her family and friends. She was quite competitive!
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to Ellis Prairie Cemetery or Ellis Prairie Baptist Church.
The family is planning a Birthday Celebration of Life at a later date. A Private Family Graveside will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 26, 2020, at the Ellis Prairie Baptist Church with Jason Smith officiating. Services were entrusted to Evans Funeral Home. Pallbearers are: Ron Foxworthy, Jamie Hayes, Stan Smith, Kyler Hayes, Brody Hayes, Brad Stafford. Honorary Pallbearer is Roger Lee Hayes.
PAID