Hazel M. Jordan Howard departed this life on Sunday, December 30, 2018 at 6:24pm at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Hazel was born on June 23, 1932 to the late Orish Sr. and Lula Chance Jordan in Greenville, N.C. Hazel was the fourth of fourteen children and was educated in Carolina Public schools. At an early age, Hazel attended the Christ Temple Church in Robersonville N.C. where she sung in the choir, “She Loves the Lord”.
Hazel worked at The Marriott Es Hotel in New York for many years before retiring. Hazel was a member of Queen of the South, Eastern Star Grand Chapter of the state of New York since 1980. Hazel was presented with the Brooklyn resident Cornerstone since 1960 award by Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.
Hazel was known as “Hurricane Hazel”, she was a woman of great character and stat-ue. As a young woman growing up in the rural areas of Pitt County with seven broth-ers and four sisters being the oldest girl she had to be “Big Mama” after losing their mother at an early age. Everyone looked up to her; they loved her humor, kindness, free spirit and friendship.
Hazel was your friend to the very end, as long as you didn’t mess with her siblings. She would run you down with a tobacco stick and you pray she didn’t catch you. Hazel loved her family unconditionally; it wasn’t anything she would-n’t do for them.
Hazel was also known as a great dancer along with her brother Jesse, they would always take over the dance floor. As a young woman, she longed for the bright lights and the big city, off to New York she went to make a better life for herself. She was reunited with Johnny Howard while in N.Y. Both from N.C. they courted and eventually got married.
They suited one another to a “T”; one was a “Hurricane” and the other “A Quiet Storm”. Hazel and JC home was a safe haven for everyone who came from N.C. They would seek them out for shelter and food until they got on their feet.
Hazel was a fantastic cook who fed every-one. Hazel was the “Matriarch” of the family. Everyone loved coming to her home where she entertained them with laughter, funny stories and great food.
Hazel loved talking on the phone with her family and friends. One of her favorite past times was watching her soap operas: Another World, General Hospital and the Young and the Restless, she would talk back to the television telling the character what to do! !
Hazel was preceded in death by her siblings, Eliah, Jesse, Orish Jr., Johnny aka “Pete”, Bobby Jordan and Uylesse Jordan. Hazel leaves to celebrate her victory and to rejoice her memory her loving husband, Johnny Howard of 56 years; four daughters, Ella Garcia (Donnie) of Brooklyn, NY, Linda Bryant (Sam) of Leavenworth, KS, Cheryl Sherrod (Nathaniel) of Waldorf, MD; Teresa Henry (Gregory) of Wesley Chapel, FL. ; four sisters, Christine Coleman Fredericksburg, VA, Dorothy Martin and Lula Thomas of Washington, DC, Nancy Walker of Kansas City, KS, three brothers, Walter Lewis Jordan of Washington, DC, David Jordan of Brooklyn, NY and Curtis Jordan (Vernell) of Tarboro, NC; one step sister, Mae Stevenson of New Jersey; three stepbrothers, James Lewis of Baltimore, MD, Frank Lewis of Greenville, NC and Wiley Jones of Greenville, NC; seven grand-children, Virgil (Michelle), Sam III (Debbie), Shawn, Nathaniel Jr., Chantal, Gregory Jr. and Jared; ten great grandchildren; a devoted nephew, Tabor Walker of Pittsburg, PA; a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, other relatives and friends; a special late-night phone friend, Hilda Spruill.
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