MILDRED BOTHWELL HARDY

Funeral for Mildred Bothwell Hardy, 97, of Rusk, was at 2 p.m., Monday in the Wallace- Thompson Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. James Blaylock officiating. Burial was in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Maydelle. Mrs. Hardy died Jan. 12.

She was born July 17, 1909, in Rusk to the late R.E. and Maude Sherman Bothwell. She was the fourth of 10 children. The family moved to Maydelle when she was four. She graduated from Maydelle School in 1925, attended Rusk College and began her teaching career in Bowie County at age 18.

She later attended Sam Houston State Teachers College, she received her bachelors and masters degrees and did advanced studies at the University of Houston. She also taught at schools in Anderson, Cherokee, Harris, and Houston Counties. She taught at all levels, acting as principal and supervisor of schools in the east and Mount Houston District.

She was a member of the Rusk First Baptist Church. She taught Sunday school and continued to teach Bible study while a resident at Oak Park/Lexington Place Care Center.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dallas Hardy in 1961; grandchildren, Kathy and David Mann; two sisters, Nola George and Imogene Lusk; three brothers, Eldon Bothwell, Sherril Bothwell, and a baby brother. Survivors are a daughter and son-in-law, Beth and Kenneth Mann of Rusk; four sisters, Bessie Burke of College Station, Marcelite Watson of Rusk, Marguerite Johnston of Jacksonville and Pauline Perry of Rusk; numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Dicky Bowman, Eldon Earl Watson, Jimmy Watson, Don Parsons, Adan Meza, and JoEd Anderson. Honorary pallbearers were John Bowman, Billy Watson, Marshall Ray George, Billy James Hardy, Dr. Everett Martin, Donny Hardy and the Rev. Lee Welch, the Rev. Chuck Johnston, the Rev. Charles Haley, and the Rev. W.F. Sides.