ST. JOSEPH, La. — Funeral services for Elizabeth Hays “Betty” Hazlip, 84, of Waterproof, who died peacefully at her home Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Ferriday with the Rev. Louis Sklar officiating.

Arrangements are under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time at the church.

Mrs. Hazlip was born Sept. 22, 1928, the daughter of Peter and Mary Hays. She was named for her paternal great-grandmother, Bettie Scott Goldman, and Hazlip lived her entire life in Tensas Parish.

While attending Northwestern State University in the 1940s, she was selected as a freshman beauty.

As a founding member and former regent of Bruin-Vidal Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, she was proud to be a descendent of Peter Bryan Bruin who settled in the Delta shortly after his military service in the Revolutionary War. She also served as the senior president on Tonti of the Iron Hand Society Children of the American Revolution and was a member of The First Families of Mississippi.

On the maternal side of her family, she descends from Pierre Simeon and Appoline Patout  — French immigrants who founded Enterprise Plantation in 1832, which is the oldest continually run complete sugar plantation still owned and operated by its original family in the United States.

Betty and Joe Hazlip were founding members of Tensas Academy in St. Joseph, where she served many years on the board of directors.

A former member of the Waterproof High School cheerleading squad, she never lost her enthusiasm rooting for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in their various sporting activities. She bragged on her fine children, her beautiful ferns, delicious pralines and winning many hands of bridge.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Martha Frances Hays Smith; and her high-school sweetheart and husband of 65 years, Joseph Kirkland “Joe” Hazlip.

Survivors include her brothers, Magruder Goldman Hays and his wife, Madeline, and Peter Burin Hays Jr. and his wife, Jerry; her sister, Corrine Hays Talbot; five children, Peter Kirkland Hazlip and wife, Marian, Joseph Margruder Hazlip and his wife, Meg, Mary Rebecca Hazlip Rabb and husband, Mike, Emile Patout Hazlip and wife, Adele, and Betty Jo Hazlip Harris and husband, Todd; 13 grandchildren, Paige Sears and husband, Calvin, Stacey Staten and husband, Lucas, Bennett Hazlip and wife, Liz, Magruder Hazlip and wife, Liz, Corinne Hegwood and husband, Les, Rebecca Harrison and husband, Stan, Michael Rabb Jr. and wife, Lauren, and Emily Hazlip, Stan Hazlip, Ned Wright and wife, Holly, Peter Wright, Davis Harris and Joseph Harris; 14 great-grandchildren, Benjamin Rice, Hannah Rice, Jackson Staten, Alexis Staten, Joe Hazlip, Ilona Hazlip, Mac Hazlip, Mae Hazlip, John Hazlip, Hays Hegwood, Gus Hegwood, Hunter Harrison, Bruin Harrison and Kenner Harrison.

Pallbearers will be Bennett Hazlip, Magruder Hazlip, Michael Rabb Jr., Stan Hazlip, Ned Wright, Peter Wright, Davis Harris and Joseph Harris.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tensas Academy.