Hazel Marie Dawson

Hazel Marie Dawson, 98, passed away on November 6, 2014, at Colonial Springs Health Care in Buffalo, Missouri. Hazel was born January 6, 1916 at Mayfield, Kansas to Charles and Bessie (Mills) Cooper. She was raised most of her life in Kansas with exception to a few years in Oklahoma and Missouri. She graduated from Thayer High School in 1934. She became a teacher and taught several years in the rural schools of Neosho County. At the age of 13, Hazel accepted the Lord as her Savior and was baptized into the First Baptist Church at Thayer, Kansas. She was married to E. Durward Dawson on August 5, 1938 at Platte City, Missouri. With the exception of a few years in Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, they lived most of their married life in Chanute, where he was employed with the Santa Fe Railroad and she was a homemaker. After retiring in 1974, they moved to Humboldt, Kansas, where Hazel resided until 1999, when she moved to Monroe, Louisiana. In 2007, she moved to Buffalo, Missouri, to live near her daughter. Hazel was a member of the “Ladies Society of Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen”, an auxiliary of her husband’s railroad local. She held the office of Secretary until the Lodge was dissolved in the early 1970’s. At a young age, Hazel taught herself to play the piano and enjoyed the piano for many years, especially playing gospel hymns. She was preceded in death by her husband; Durward, her parents, brother; Truman Cooper, sister, Evadine Hardin, son; Ray Dawson, grandson; Brian Dawson, daughter-in-law; Ann Dawson, son-in-law; Stephen Spitzer, and stepson; Norman Dawson. She is survived by her sons; Tom Dawson of League City, Texas; Bill Dawson and his wife Phyllis of Omaha, Nebraska; Steve Dawson and his wife Kathy of Garland, Texas; her daughter Sandra Spitzer of Chanute; and daughter-in-laws; Janet Dawson of Monroe, Louisiana, Ruth Dawson of Sugarland, Texas, eleven grandchildren, and twenty-two great-grandchildren. Visitation will be Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 10:00 a.m., with the Funeral Service following at 11:00 a.m. at Countryside Funeral Home Johnson Chapel. Family suggests memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association and may be left with or mailed to the funeral home. Countryside Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Hazel Marie Dawson

January 6, 1916 - November 6, 2014