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There are not enough words to describe the love, influence, and life of the beloved daughter, sister, cousin, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, elementary teacher, and youth leader Hazel Kirchman. She left this earth peacefully at her home on February 22, 2023. She was 82.
She is now singing and laughing in heaven with her beloved and incredible husband of 57 years David, her firecracker grandmother Evie, amazing and ornery father JD, faithful and loving mother Lucille, first grandchild; decorated soldier Toby and many other family members who meant the world to her. She is survived by her beloved sister Joyce, friends for life cousins John and Bea, cherished children Mathew, Mark, and Karen, adored seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Her family and work as a co-youth leader with her husband at the local methodist church was her life for almost 50 years. She dedicated her talents, time, energy, and love towards going above and beyond to make everyone she ever came across know they were loved and treasured.
She developed this worldview of love from her upbringing and faith in Jesus. Even though, from birth through high school, she had extremely limited resources, childhood stories were filled with unlimited love. As a young child she ran quite wild with her beloved cousins, sister, and neighbors. She tagged along with her daddy and sister at Christmas time as he played Santa to neighbors and strangers even though they didn’t have two dimes to rub together. Her sister has written books about these and many other wonderful adventures. Education was especially important to her as she only missed one day of school from kindergarten through graduation. Not surprisingly, she graduated as an honored valedictorian. She met her lifetime love David when she was 14 and he was 16. They married when she was 19 and they shared almost 60 years of love together that rippled across the decades and is rippling still.
David and Hazel began their lives together with limited resources and a passion for sharing the love of Jesus. They quickly became parents to twins and a daughter and then youth group parents to high schoolers at the local Methodist church. Hazel dedicated herself to spaghetti suppers, youth trips, vacation bible school, prayer groups, countless sleepovers, bible studies, meals, and impromptu guests always coming and going were always welcome at her home. She did this with grace, endless generosity, and boundless energy while lovingly raising her children and pushing through with patience and grace the chronic pain that wreaked havoc with her body.
When her children flew the nest and began their own families, she was an ever-present force in all their lives while still loving the youth at church and starting her college career. She became an elementary school teacher late in life and gave to that the same passion she had given everything else and was dearly beloved in return.
When the grandchildren came along, her talents for costumes, cake decorations, dinners, parties, trips, the sharing of a soft lap, and the reading of books was in full and glorious bloom. She never missed an event or birthday and was an ever-present loving help during times of joy or loss.
In the last few years of her life, after her beloved husband left this earth, her body finally was too tired to continue giving her love and help with active “doing”. Her love, generosity, kindness, grace, and laughter however continued to grow until her final day. Hers was a life well lived with the giving away of great love and faith. She will continue to be a blessing to us all.
Visitation and Viewing: Stumpff Funeral Home and Crematory 1600 SE Washington Blvd, Bartlesville, OK Thursday, March 2 12:00-5:00. Open to all those who knew and loved her.
Graveside service: Gracelawn Cemetery 3000 Oak Ln, Van Buren Arkansas Friday March 3rd at 1:00. Open to all those who knew and loved her.
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