Please join us in honoring the life of Cozette Hanks. You are welcome to attend her funeral service in person, or you can watch the LIVE Broadcast at 1:00 PM on Monday, April 27, 2026. Simply click the link below to view the service.

Cozette Hanks LIVE Funeral Service Broadcast

Cozette was born January 12, 1935 and passed away April 22, 2026 at The Willows of Harrodsburg, KY. She was 91 years old. She was born to Roy and Ruby Thomason in Seneca, South Carolina.

Her husband, Charles Truett, was at Edmonson Air Force Base when he asked his landlady is she knew of any "short, dark-haired girls" he could meet. The landlady was Cozette's Sunday School teacher. Cozette and Charles met and, as they say, the rest is history!!

Cozette was a 1953 graduate of Greenville High School in Greenville, South Carolina. She attended Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina and married Charles Truett Hanks on June 14, 1955.

She received a BA degree from Georgetown College in 1971 and received her MA degree from Georgetown College in 1975.

Cozette and Charles Truett had three children: Carol Louise Hanks Byrge (Bob) of Versailles, KY, Catherine Ann Hanks Lester of Danville, KY, and Robert Roy Hanks (Jean) of Lawrenceburg, KY.

She has four grandchildren: Joseph Clark Hanks (Kayla), Rachel Lindsay Hanks Hudgell (Robert), Bethany Grace Lester (Will Johnston) and Brittany Faith Lester Watson (JT). She has four great-grandchildren: Ezra Clark Hanks, Silas James Hanks, Ava Lynn Hudgell and Chloe Nicole Watson with another great-grandchild on the way!!

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Truett Hanks, her parents, brother Jim Thomason and sister Martha Thomason Nolen. She is survived by her brother-in-law Jack Nolen, niece Leslie Nolen (John Powell) and nephew John Nolen (Kim), all of Georgia and niece Shannon Nolen Pryor (Douglas) of California.

Cozette taught first grade at Saffell Street Elementary School in Lawrenceburg, KY for many years. Upon retirement from Saffell she taught at the Christian Academy of Lawrenceburg (CAL) for several years before retiring for good. During her career in public education as a primary teacher, she influenced several hundred students in a positive way and her effort merited a Kentucky Teacher of the Year nomination in 1991.

Outside of the classroom, Cozette served as a homebound teacher, tutored students in her home and was an ACE volunteer, teaching adults to read.

Cozette was an active member of Sand Spring Baptist Church. She taught Vacation Bible School and was part of Awana for a time. She was a member of the WMU and served on the Search Committee which resulted in Dr. Mike Hamrick's selection as pastor. She was a member of the Sanctuary Choir and Adult Handbells Choir. She belonged to the Faithful Workers Sunday School class, where she was one of the teachers.

Cozette was active in civic matters. She was a Brownie leader and member of the former Bob-O-Link Ladies Golf Association. She was a former member of the Lawrenceburg Business and Professional Women's Club and the Lawrenceburg Women's Club and formerly served as President of both organizations. She also participated in the March of Dimes Walkathon for many years. She was also commissioned a Kentucky Colonel on October 12, 1980.

Visitation will be Monday, April 27, 2026 from 10:00 – 1:00 with the funeral immediately following performed by Dr. Mike Hamrick. Private burial will be in the Lawrenceburg Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be the Faithful Workers Sunday School Class.

Both services will take place at Sand Spring Baptist Church, 1616 Harrodsburg Road, Lawrenceburg, KY. Memorials in Cozette's name can be made to Sand Spring Baptist Church Building Fund or Heritage Hospice, PO Box 1213/120 Enterprise Dr., Danville, KY 40423.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Ritchie & Peach Funeral Home, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Condolences may be shared at www.ritchieandpeach.com.