Elizabeth Marie "Bettie" Hussey

Elizabeth Marie (Bettie) Hussey, 86, was welcomed into Heaven on August 6, 2016. She was born in Pensacola, Florida on April 27, 1930. She attended primary schools in Pensacola & then the family relocated to DeFuniak Springs, FL. She graduated Walton High School and attended Huntingdon College earning a BA degree in Elementary Education. After teaching kindergarten, she then taught first grade for a total of 33 years in DeFuniak Springs. She truly loved children and cared for them in and out of the classroom. Her students, family, friends, & faith were the priorities of her life. She maintained correspondences for over 60 years with relatives in England & friends & family worldwide. She was a prolific writer keeping daily journals of life for over 40 years. The most mundane topics of weather, meals eaten, and the amount of leaves on the ground were documented along with the trips taken, births & deaths, weddings & celebrations. For several years she welcomed foster children into her home so that they could experience the spirit of Christmas. She led trips to amusement parks & pitched tents in campgrounds with her nieces & nephews. And always, books were sent to old & young to be read. She held fast to the ways of yester-year & was slow to change her dresses-only wardrobe to wearing slacks. Her closet still has gloves and embroidered handkerchiefs on the shelves. A gifted artist, she has left numerous paintings & sketches that will be cherished. She loved flowers and was a collector of Coca-Cola items, cookbooks, spoons, cups and saucers, and porcelain dolls.
She was a life-long member of First United Methodist church and sang in the choir since she was 16 years old. She was a member of Thorpe-Vest Sunday School class and the Joy Circle. She contributed much to her family, church and community. There are many people whose lives have been transformed by her generosity. Many cards & letters of gratitude from her beneficiaries are found in her belongings expressing how their lives were changed by her financial and mentorship influences. She was dedicated to her family and lived her adult life caring for her mother and grandmother. She is preceded in death by her father: Herbert Alfred (Bert) Hussey, Sr.; mother, Carolee Miller Hussey; and brother, H.A. (Buddy) Hussey, Jr. Special appreciation goes to the caregivers of Chautauqua Rehabilitation and Nursing Center who offered such love and tenderness in her care.

Her family includes two sisters: Marianne Hussey of DeFuniak Springs, Carol Hussey Carter (Lawrence) of Cantonment, FL and a sister-in-love, Julia Clark Hussey of Paris, TX. Four nephews are Larry Carter (Sharon) of Harker Heights, TX; Brian Carter (Lori) of Midland, TX; Bert Hussey of Paris, TX; and David Hussey (Tena) of El Centro, CA. Four nieces include Julibeth Hussey McKim (Kenneth) of Highlands, NC; Dianne Hussey Boudreaux of Schaumburg, IL; Susie Hussey Barnett (Tony) of Lewisville, TX and Sally Hussey Wright (Kem) of Paris, TX. There are 22 great nieces & nephews and 26 great-great nieces & nephews.

Floral arrangements are being accepted or memorials may be made in Bettie Hussey’s memory to First United Methodist Church. A time of visitation will be Monday, August 8, 2016 from 10 until 11 A.M. with the funeral beginning at 11A.M. .with Dr. Larry Teasley officiating. Burial will follow in the Hussey Family Plot in Magnolia Cemetery.