Mrs. Fran Hardy Elizer, 95, of Covington, formerly of Oxford, died Dec. 17. The daughter of the late William Marvin Sr. and Annie Kate “Hawkes” Hardy, she was born in Molena. She met her late husband Marshall Ridley Elizer while he was serving as a teacher and principal at Molena public school during the years 1937 to 1941. Mrs. Elizer was the middle daughter of five children; her father owned a store and a farm. Her mother was an invalid, and for nine years she sacrificed her opportunity for further education to care for her mother. Mrs. Elizer made her mark on those who worked in and used the Oxford College Library, where she worked as a library assistant for 23 years. She processed books and helped in the reference and special collections areas. But it was the personal, caring touches that she brought to the job that made her special in the eyes of her fellow staff members and Oxford students.  She would adorn the library with fresh flowers from her garden. And it was not unheard of for her to mend the ripped-out knees of a student’s jeans. In the year 2000, Marshall Ridley Elizer and Mrs. Fran Hardy Elizer were the recipients of the R. Carl Chandler Award for a lifetime of service to Oxford College, and in the same year an endowed scholarship was established in her honor. Mrs. Elizer was a faithful member of Allen Memorial United Methodist Church for 65 years, a charter member of the Amitie Club and a member of the Oxford Historical Shrine Society. She is preceded in death by her brothers William Marvin Hardy Jr. and Sutton L. Hardy and sister Hazel H. Fowler.

Fran is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law Robbie E. and Ross Piper of Terre Haute, Ind., Marcia E. and Don T. Floyd of Covington; grandchildren Roxanne P. Davis, Lea P. Hollowell, Michael S. Floyd, Thomas M. Floyd; great-grandchildren Casey Shaw, Andrew Floyd, Emma Floyd,  Patrick Davis, Levi Hollowell, Sarah Floyd, Lucia Davis, Lexi Hollowell; sister Katherine H. Bell.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, at Allen Memorial United Methodist Church in Oxford, with the Rev. Lyn Pace and the Rev. Max Vincent officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the library expansion project at Oxford College, 100 Hamill St., Oxford, GA 30054 or to the Allen Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 117, Oxford, GA 30054.