Betty Louise Meier Hardesty, the daughter of the late Harry J. and Welta Lewis Meier, was born in Parma on Oct. 24, 1927, and died at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau on Monday, May 29, 2006, at the age of 78.

She had lived in Parma most of her life but had lived in Gulfport, Miss., for two and one-half years. She was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Malden.

On April 6, 1947, she was married to Bill Hardesty. He preceded her in death on Feb. 25, 2003.

Surviving are two sons, Terry Lee Hardesty and Larry Dale Hardesty, both of Parma; two daughters, Mary Frances Hardesty and Barbara Ann Brannon, both of Parma; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; three brothers, Don Meier of Nashville, Tenn., Dennie Meier of Kelso, and Ronnie Meier of Swartz Creek, Mich.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. today, Tuesday, May 30, 2006, at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Parma.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2006, at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Parma with the Rev. Benjamin Meyer of Malden officiating.

Interment will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Parma in charge of arrangements.