Betty Jean Hurd, age 75, a resident of rural Fort Scott, died Wednesday, October 25, 2006, at the Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott. She was born August 3, 1931, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Henry Burton Severy and Cora Olive Bilyew Severy. She married Harold "Dutch" Hurd on January 9, 1948, at Fort Scott. He preceded her in death on August 1, 2001. Betty worked for many years as a seamstress for Key Work Clothes. She enjoyed cooking for her family, tending her flock of chickens and going to garage sales.

Survivors include three sons, Rick L. Hurd and wife, Shirley, Fort Scott, Ron W. Hurd, and wife, Etta, Arcadia, and Bill L. Hurd, and wife, Wendy, Fort Scott; a daughter, Karen A. Stewart, and husband, Don, Fort Scott; a brother, Earl Severy, and wife, Ivadean, Fort Scott; and a sister, Blanche Fountain, Spring Hill, Kansas. Also surviving are eight grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, Leora Owens and Mary Smith, and a brother, Bud Severy.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 28th at the Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel. Burial will follow in the Centerville Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday evening at the Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Betty Hurd Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be sent to the family at cheneywittcondolence@cpol.net.