Hazel Irene Richards, 87, formerly of Wetmore, died Thursday, February 14, 2008 at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka. She was born July 28, 1920 on the Rose Hill farm near Goff, KS, the daughter of Lynn I. and Ella Medora Curtis Derr. Hazel graduated from Goff High School in 1938.
Hazel lived in the Wetmore-Goff area for the majority of her life. She married Delbert C. Richards on
December 24, 1940 in Seneca, KS. The family lived in Topeka for 16 years before moving back to Wetmore where they remained until Hazel moved to Ozawkie to live with her son, Roy and his wife Charlotte for the past 2 ½ years. Her husband, Delbert, died March 9, 1981. She was also preceded in death by a son, Bobby Dale Richards in 2005, a granddaughter, Leslie Richards, an infant grandson, J. Paul Richards and an infant great-granddaughter, Shelby Ann Richards.
She was a homemaker and spent her lifetime raising and nurturing her family. She loved gardening, flowers, traveling and was happiest spending time with family and friends.
Survivors include 2 daughters Joyce "Jodie" Allen and her husband, Michael of Tecumseh, KS, Barbara Montague and her husband Lawrence of Fairfield, CT; 2 sons Kenneth "Rick" Richards and his wife Susan of Hoyt, KS, Roy C. Richards and his wife Charlotte of Ozawkie, KS; 1 sister, Alice Fund, of Goff, KS; 13 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren
Celebration of life services will be 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Family will greet friends from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Monday evening at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Jefferson County Health Department, Home Health & Hospice. Cremation is planned after the service.