Hazel Travis

Hazel Travis

Liberty

Wilma Hazel Smith Travis, 89, of Liberty, died October 17, 2011 at Peach Tree Village Retirement Community in Brandon, MS. She was born August 23, 1922 in Union, MS., the daughter of Irvin and Alma Smith. Married for 60 years to Nicholas Burke Travis, Jr., she, along with her husband, was an active member of Liberty Baptist Church where she participated in a multitude of church activities including the design and making of custom window treatments for the family life and recreational center. She retired after 35 years of work with the U.S. Soil and Conservation Service and spent the following years gardening, decorating her home and tending to the needs of her immediate and extended family. Her grandchildren were her primary focus as well as her personal pride and joy. Next to them, she adored caring for her roses, hibiscus plants and an extensive number of adopted pets with a particular affection for an entourage of stray dogs and cats that appeared at her doorstep in need of food, water and a loving home. All animals and birds were welcomed as house guests and often taken in as permanent residents.

Mrs. Travis was a woman of many talents and accomplishments and greatly loved by her family, friends and community. She will be remembered by all who knew her as a woman of great faith, generosity and kindness. She loved people, and they loved her back. She was described by her son as a wonderful mother and grandmother and "a beautiful lady with a giving nature, a warm smile, a good heart and an exceptionally green thumb."

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband Nicholas Burke Travis, Jr., and two sisters, Gladys Boswell and Mildred Savell.

She is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Nicholas Burke Travis, III and wife Barbara of Flowood; a sister, Peggy Mott of Philadelphia; brother-in-law Mack Travis of Pascagoula; sister-in-law, Eleanor Prescott of Magnolia; sister- and-brother-in-law Jane and Renan Richmond of McComb; two grandsons, Nicholas Burke Travis, IV of Brandon and Hunter Harrison Travis of Jackson and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would especially like to thank Ms. Helen Lee and Ms. Helen Chesser of Liberty for the many years of attention, personal care and friendship they gave to her and to her caregivers at Peach Tree Village and for the loyal and loving assistance they provided while she made her home there.

Serving as pallbearers are Nicholas Travis, IV, Hunter Travis, Steve Brown, Louis Bates, Glenn Travis and Barrett Travis.

Visitation is Wednesday, October 19th at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. and continues Thursday at Liberty Baptist Church in Liberty, MS from 10 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. with Rev. James Sadler officiating Dr. David Bishop. Burial will follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Magnolia, MS.

Memorials may be sent to Liberty Baptist Church, 135 West Main Street, Liberty, MS 39645 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

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