Aunt Hazel

On May 16, 2010 I attended the funeral services of my Dad's sister, Hazel. She has been battling cancer for 14 years and passed away on Mother's Day. She was an amazing person. She was probably the most Christ-like person I have ever known. Some of the words used to describe her were loving, a saint, an angel, long-suffering, meek, humble, cared for the poor, patient, kind, and non-complaining. She always had a smile. She was always thinking of ways to serve others. She lived in poverty most of her life as she was divorced at a young age and raised four wonderful children pretty much on her own. Her children are righteous members of the church with wonderful families of their own.

Her greatest desire was to be sealed to her children for eternity. This was a major concern for her. It brought great heart-ache through out her life. she did take out her own endowments and had done all she could to live a righteous life. She came to feel that the Lord's plan was merciful and that everything would be taken care of in the next life.

Aunt Hazel had very meager means and yet she never took a handout from the government. She did her best and then trusted the Lord would provide. She had great faith.

One time she wen t out to go to work leaving her 4 children 12 and under at home. The car would not start. They tried pushing it to see if they could jump start it, but to no avail. She knew it was her fault as she had left the lights on and the battery was dead. Nothing seemed to work. She went inside and knelt with her family in prayer confessing to Heavenly Father that she was sorry she had left the lights on, but that she must get to work or she might lose her job and the money needed to feed her family. She then went outside and turned the key and it started and she drove off to work.

She had such a big heart. She took in the homeless the destitute, abused children, and often nursed those who were sick.

One time she lived in a condo and they were having problems with vandalism. The community believed it was being done by a group of teenage boys. One day she saw them hanging out together, she asked her daughter who had dropped by to take out a plate of cookies to them. She did and let them know who her mother was. The next morning more vandalism had happened; more cars were damaged - windows broken, but there in the middle of it all was Aunt Hazel's car untouched.

She cared for those that no one else wanted to be around. She did the lord's work. She had no guile.

Whenever I saw her she would remind me of stories of my Dad "Richard" as she called him. She loved him and shared that love with us.

Many of the great attributes she had were also attributes my father had. They were taught by their parents to love and to serve.

I hope that I can carry on this legacy. Her example makes me want to be a better grandmother, mother and disciple of Christ.