Bettie O'Haver Mays

Bettie Marie O’Haver was born July 15, 1939 in Redfield, Arkansas, the daughter of John Wesley and Minnie Mae (Worsham) O’Haver. When she was 9 years old, her father moved the family to his home town, Green Castle, Missouri. It was there three years later that Bettie came to faith in Christ, an event which governed the rest of her life. She was very active during her teen years in the life of her church.

Upon graduating from high school, Bettie set out on her own with very little money to attend a Christian college in Nashville, TN. She worked at a hospital and then in the college office to pay her way through school, graduating Cum Laude and voted the most all around young woman in her class. After graduating from college, she taught at the school and was employed as the Dean’s secretary.

In 1962, she married Clarence Mays and continued to work at the college. Two daughters were born, Catherine in 1964 and Laura in 1968. After a brief period as a stay at home wife and mother, the family moved to St. Louis. Clarence enrolled in seminary and Bettie returned to the work force, first as a secretary and then as a computer programmer. Later, she pursued a Master’s degree at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1976, Bettie and family moved to Texas where her husband pastored two churches and a mission work. In the 1980’s, Bettie gained employment once again as a computer programmer. Due to failing health, Bettie retired in 1995. In 2006, she was diagnosed with breast cancer which eventually resulted in her death on February 25, 2012.

Bettie is to be praised as a living example of the Godly woman in Proverbs 31:

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” (vss 10-12)

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”

(vss 28-30)

Her favorite Bible passage was Psalm 73:25-26- “Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Her favorite hymn was

“How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place”

How sweet and awesome is the place

With Christ within the doors

While everlasting love displays

The choicest of her stores

While all our hearts and all our songs

Join to admire the feast

Each of us cry, with thankful tongues

“Lord, why was I a guest?”

“Why was I made to hear thy voice,

And enter while there’s room

When thousands make a wretched choice

And rather starve than come?”

`Twas the same love that spread the feast

That sweetly drew us in

Else we had still refused to taste

And perished in our sin

Pity the nations, O our God

Constrain the earth to come

Send thy victorious word abroad

And bring the strangers home

We long to see thy churches full

That all the chosen race

May, with one voice and heart and soul

Sing thy redeeming grace

She is survived by her husband, two daughters, Catherine Marx of San Antonio, Laura Hutnyan of Fayetteville, Arkansas, five grandchildren, a brother John David O’Haver of Florien, Louisiana, a sister, Patsy Cooley of Ottumwa, Iowa and several nieces and nephews.

Bettie will be greatly missed by her family. By her death however, she not only has been delivered from the cancer that has ravaged her body, but brought into the glorious presence of Christ her Savior and is now awaiting the resurrection from the death and a new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

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Bettie O’Haver Mays

July 15, 1939 -- February 25, 2012

You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:23-26

The Worship of God

at the Funeral of

Bettie O’Haver Mays

February 27, 2010

Opening Scripture & Call to Worship: Pastor Chad Bond

“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”

“Blessed be the God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God”

“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth”

Prayer of Invocation

Hymn 18 – “Ye holy angels bright”

Heidelberg Catechism Pastor Gary Matlack

Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

Scripture Reading from the Psalms

Psalm 23

Psalm 27:1-5

Psalm 103:13-18

Psalm 92:12-15

Psalm 73:24-26

Hymn 469 – “How Sweet and Awesome in the Place”

Pastoral Prayer: Pastor Chad Bond

Scripture Reading from the New Testament:

John 3:16-17

John 10:9-11; 27-30

John 11:25-26

John 14:1-3, 15-20, 25-27

I Thessalonians 4:13-17; 5:9-11

Revelation 21:1-4, 22-26; 22:1-7

Revelation 14:13

Sermon: Revelation 14:13

Hymn 358 – “For All the Saints”

Closing Prayer and Benediction