Obituary of Betty Jo Hardee

Betty Jo “Jones” Hardee was born on October 30, 1931 and passed away on February 09, 2024 at the age of 92 under hospice home care.    She is preceded in death by her parents  William “Ellis” and Edna Lee Johnson Jones of Lafayette, TN;   her husband Charles “Edward” Hardee;   her son Donald Anthony Hardee; and siblings Ellis “Van” Jones of Maryland, Herlin “Enloe” Jones of Ky, Mary Adeline (Jones) Keene of Lafayette, TN.    Leaving behind a daughter Marilyn Hardee Spicer of Nashville, TN;    an only granddaughter Lisa Daniella Hardee Travis (husband Ashley); great granddaughters Abby Mae and Hadley Travis of Brentwood, TN;   “like family members” Moses and Jemi Owusu and their children, Jelynn, Israel, Aaron, and Jediah;  many loved cousins, nieces, and nephews.   And special friend John Rossmaier,

Betty leaves us with a good testimony of knowing the Lord.  In 1943 as an 11-year-old, she prayed at a makeshift altar at Keystone Schoolhouse in Lafayette, Tn where school was closed, and a community revival was held.   There she found the Lord and testified to knowing for sure that the Lord heard her prayer and saved her soul.   Thereafter she dedicated her life to worshipping the Lord, serving in various Missionary Baptist Churches, her family, and friends.

Betty’s passions were sewing and southern cooking.  Her home was usually the place people came after church services  or revival nights to fellowship and she would insist on whipping up an elaborate southern meal for them or for any other unexpected drop-by visitors or family.  Betty was also an avid card player. She especially enjoyed the game of bridge and attended many tournaments in middle and east Tennessee on her way to earning a Bronze Life Master status by the ACBL, American Contract Bridge League. She was a past member of the Vanderbilt Bridge Club in Nashville, and the Donelson Tennessee bridge club. 

Betty Jo, as she was called by her family, was the youngest of four children.   She and her three older siblings entertained us with delightful and interesting stories of growing up on a working farm with horses, mules, cows, goats, hogs, chickens, and raising their own food etc. while living in a 100 year old farm house with no running water, no indoor bathrooms, coal potbelly stove in the kitchen, and coal fireplaces in the main rooms,  Her brothers served in WWII, and they all suffered through the Great Depression.   And of course, we all heard the constant humbling reminder of how,  unlike their “spoiled” children, they had to walk miles to school in the snow – barefoot of course.

Since she taught her children to also seek a “know-so” salvation experience we know we will see her again someday.   We love and miss you Betty Jo, Mother, Granny.

Family will hold a private service and Betty will be laid to rest at Hartsville Memorial Garden, Hartsville, TN alongside her husband on February 13, 2024.

Anthony Funeral Home, 337 McMurry Blvd. E, Hartsville, TN 37074, 615-374-2280, www.anthonyfhhartsville.com.