Elizabeth L. “Betty” Hare, 76, of Parsons died at 6:02 p.m. Sunday, March 13, 2011, at Labette Health.

She was born on Oct. 2, 1934, in Miami, Okla., to Austin and Aurora (Hirsch) Lish. She grew up and attended schools in Miami and was valedictorian of her graduating class at Miami High School. She then continued her education by earning an associate degree at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO) in Miami.

She served as secretary to the director of the Eagle Picher Research Lab for several years. She met her husband, Ed, there. She married Edward H. Hare Jr. on Aug. 2, 1958, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Miami, Okla.

In 1970, the family moved to St. Charles, Mo. They also lived in Tulsa and Ballwin, Mo., before moving to Parsons in 1980 when Betty worked as administrative assistant to the director of nursing at the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center from Jan. 7, 1987, until retirement in January 2000.

She was a former member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and its Altar Society. For many years, she was a member of the Parsons Area Iris Society and enjoyed gardening. She especially enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Edward H. Hare Jr. of the home; three sons, Paul Hare of Manhattan, James Hare of St. Louis and John Hare of Gladstone, Mo.; two daughters, Anne Clemens of Benton and Karen Kluczykowski of Topeka; 11 grandchildren; two brothers, John Lish of Miami, Okla., and Jim Lish of Stillwater, Okla.; and two sisters, Rose Rickard, of Neosho, Mo., and Patty Gordon of Winston, N.M.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a son, David Hare, who passed away on May 8, 2010.

The funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. The rosary will be recited at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons, where the family will receive friends immediately following the rosary.

Memorials are suggested to St. Vincent DePaul Society and may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.