Betty Bennett Hastings

Betty Bennett Hastings was born on March 12, 1931 and joined the Lord on November 28, 2019 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana surrounded by her loving family. Betty was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of West Monroe and later of First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. Betty received a B.S. in Business Administration from Louisiana Tech University. Her keen intelligence and business savvy enabled her to become a pioneer of women working in the 1970’s as she earned her way to becoming Executive Vice President of Troy and Nichols, Inc. in Monroe, La., one of the largest residential mortgage companies in the South. Troy and Nichols was acquired by Chase Manhattan Mortgage from which she retired in 1993. Betty was active in several organizations including serving as a loaned executive for United Way, President of the Junior League Association; President of the Bayou DeSiard Country Club Ladies Golf Association, Director of the Monroe Rotary Club, an officer of Chauvin Racquet Club, Kappa Delta Sorority Alumni, and Monroe Garden Club. She enjoyed playing golf and tennis, skiing, gardening, cooking, decorating, attending church activities, as well as spending time with her family. Betty is preceded in death by her parents Fred E. Bennett Sr. and Nancy Ward Bennett, her brother Dr. Fred E. Bennett Jr., and her mother-in-law Katie Ford Kramer. Betty is survived by her husband of 67 years Walter L. Hastings, her four children, eleven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Her children and legacy include daughter Kay St. John, husband Glenn, son Robert, wife Elizabeth, and their two children Isabel and Robert Clay; her son David Hastings, wife Dana, their three sons: Neal Hastings, wife Anne, and daughters Louise and Caroline; son Jeffrey Hastings, wife Halley, and daughter Lola; son Bobby Hastings and wife Jenea; her son Dan Hastings, wife Mona, two daughters Jennifer and Sarah Crook, husband Chet and sons Beau and Bennett; son Hunter and wife Christin; and her daughter Jane Sherman, husband Steve and their four children: Stephen, wife Ainsley, Kramer, Bennett, and Elizabeth. Betty is also survived by her sister-in-law Alice Bennett, niece Allison, two nephews, Fred III, wife Judy, Frank, wife Karen, along with several other relatives. Visitation will be held on Friday, December 6 at 9:30 am at First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge followed by a memorial service at 10:30 am. Pallbearers will be her grandchildren. A private burial service will be held in West Monroe, La. The family expresses its appreciation to Dr. David Hanson and his staff at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center for their compassionate care of Betty, as well as to The Hospice of Baton Rouge. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Foundation, or the charity of your choice. Arrangements with Church Funeral Services, Baton Rouge