Obituary for Hazel Irene Brown Hazel Irene (Curtis) (Adams) Brown, a life-long resident of Ann Arbor, died November 24, 2018, after a long illness. Born Hazel Irene Curtis, she was 97 years old, and at the time of her death was residing at Atria Park of Ann Arbor. She was born on July 1, 1921 at the family farm on Curtis Road in Salem Township, Washtenaw County, that road named for her family when electrification came through in the mid-1920s.
Hazel was the sixth child of Leslie Oliver Curtis and his wife Ida Lucille (Whittaker) Curtis; she was their middle child of eleven children. She was a 1938 graduate of Plymouth High School, and married Harold Bert Adams of Northville, MI on November 14, 1941 at the Salem Federated Church in Salem, MI. The young couple took up residence on Harpst Street in Ann Arbor following their honeymoon.
Together, Hazel and her husband Harold had three children, all surviving. In October 1953, the family moved to Sherwood Street on the west side of Ann Arbor, and Hazel lived there until June 1995. Harold preceded Hazel in death on December 16, 1972 following a long bout with cancer.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Hazel was an active volunteer in Ann Arbor’s Board of Elections, serving at school polling places until late into the nights some elections. In 1964, Hazel began a career of 20 years working as an elementary school secretary at Northside Elementary and then the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in Ann Arbor, retiring in 1984, a position she thoroughly enjoyed. She and Harold were also charter members of Westside United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor, and Hazel served in various roles within the church, including teaching Sunday School and donating her time on different boards and committees.
More recently, she was an active member on the Board of Directors at the Nature Cove Condominiums Home Owners Association for over five years, and later an advisor to their finance committee. In her personal time, Hazel loved to sew, knit, cook, bake, and work on craft projects. Over the years, she made many beautiful quilts, donated many handmade items to church bazaars, made 3 wedding dresses, and made a sport jacket for Harold after taking a tailoring class.
Hazel also loved to travel and was the organizer for family camping trips in the 50s, 60s, and early 70s, and later international trips. One of these jaunts took sister Iola and brother-in-law Ralph Hall and herself to Europe. On other trips, Hazel traveled to China, Australia and New Zealand, and to the Canadian Maritime Provinces.
With second husband Perry, she toured the Panama Canal. On June 24, 1995, Hazel married Perry Edward Brown, a longtime family friend going back over 50 years. This of course expanded Hazel’s family with two stepsons she had known all their lives.
Unfortunately, Hazel’s and Perry’s time together was short-lived as Perry died from brain cancer on February 11, 1997. In addition to her two husbands and her parents preceding her in death, Hazel also suffered the loss of all her siblings before her, seven brothers and three sisters: Cleo, Owen, Leon, Donald, Iola, Dale, Norman, Milton, Janice and Lois. Two great-grandsons also preceded her in death: Brandon Flora and Adam Giacobbe.
Hazel is survived by her three children: Ronald (Karen) Adams, Nancy Lechtanski and Douglas (Chryle) Adams; daughter-in-law: Beverly Adams; and two stepsons: Duane (Pavel) Brown and Warren (Maxine) Brown. There are seven surviving grandchildren: Kimberly Flora, Matthew (Kelly) Adams, Chris Lechtanski, Bethany (Russell) Giacobbe, Kevin (Sandy) Lechtanski, Andrew (Megan) Adams and Daniel (Amanda) Adams; as well as two surviving step-grandsons: Chris (Sara) Brown and Steven Brown. Hazel also leaves eighteen great-grandchildren.
Hazel is also survived by many nieces and nephews, and grand-ones and great-grand-ones as well. We would like to give a special thank you to the staff at Atria and Kindred Hospice for their loving care of Hazel over the past year. Funeral arrangements are being made through Nie Family Funeral Homes and Funeral Services, 3767 Liberty Road, Ann Arbor, 48103.
Visitation: Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 from 5-8 pm. Service: Sunday, Dec.
16, 2 pm. Clergy: Rev Fred M. Hatfield In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations may be made to: Meals on Wheels, Kindred Hospice or Michigan Heart Burial will be at Washtenong Memorial Park Monday, Dec. 17, 2018 for immediate family members.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Hazel Irene Brown please visit our Sympathy Store. Upcoming Events Visitation , DEC 15. 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM Liberty Road Chapel 3767 W. Liberty Road Ann Arbor, MI, US, 48103 info@niefuneralhomes.com www.
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niefuneralhomes.com Order Flowers for the Visitation Guaranteed delivery before Hazel’s Visitation begins. Funeral Service , DEC 16. 2:00 PM Liberty Road Chapel 3767 W. Liberty Road Ann Arbor, MI, US, 48103 info@niefuneralhomes.com www.
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