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Obituary: Hazel Stevens

Posted at 11:35 AM, Mar 05, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-05 13:35:43-05

Hazel passed on February 22, 2019, at Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital.

She was born July 22, 1925, in Bozeman, the middle child of James and Selma (Sally) Lindgren Maher. She was raised a ranch gal north of Bozeman in the Springhill and Reese Creek Communities. She attended school at Springhill and Reese Creek and graduated from Belgrade.

Hazel married Franklin Elsworth “Steve” Stevens in Glenwood California. After a life in California, they returned to Montana where their son Larry Lee was born. They returned to California for a time before they made Montana and Reese Creek their permanent home. Hazel and her father built her Reese creek home with reclaimed lumber. She made all her cabinets, her little room, etc. Hazel and Steve celebrated 30 years of marriage before his death at this home in 1978. She remained in this home until her death.

During her life, she worked 18 years for Milam’s Flower and Greenhouse. Her love of working with wood led her to work for photographers Bruck Pitcher and the Winslow studios as a framer. She had her own shop in Reese Creek. She had a love of driving and road trips throughout her and Steve’s lives that had her driving cars for the car rental businesses at the airport for a time, a camera always with her.

At home, she enjoyed her birds and other wildlife. She was always doing handwork and giving it away. From early spring to later, all you would see was her on her lawn mower on her lawn, the Community Center, and the cemetery for years.

Hazel was the family social person. She loved to drop in on people for a visit. There was not an event that she did not attend and enjoy fully, usually one of the last to leave. She also enjoyed hosting parties of her own and filling her home with all that she could get to come.

Hazel was predeceased by Steve; her parents; her sister, Pearl; brother-in-law, Richard; and nephew, Gary.

Hazel is survived by her son, Larry; her brother, Lloyd (Sandra) Maher; and her niece, Janice (Delbert) High; numerous beloved cousins; great-nieces and nephews; and her cat, Squeeks.

A Celebration of Life will be held June 1, time and place to be announced.

Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com