Aug 10, 1914 - Feb 6,2013
Posted by Jo Aguirre
Rewrite - from
Wilson Little funeral Home
Hazel was born on August 10,
1914 in Bryan County,
Oklahoma to Andrew Butler
Howard and Millie (Crowley)
Howard. At the age of 98
years Hazel got her most
often asked prayer answered,
“Please God let me die in my
sleep.” She was taken in her
sleep in the arms of her
granddaughter Susie on
February 6th 2013. She
attended school in Bryan
County. When she was about
13 years old they moved to a
farm east of Chickasha,
Oklahoma, near the Friend
community. In early 1935,
while visiting a cousin in
the small community of
Coffelt, she met a young man
named Thaddeus Marvin Naylor
nicknamed Hank. They
attended a brush arbor
revival every night for
about a week and he would
walk her home each night.
Sometime later, she was on a
date with someone else at a
movie in Chickasha. As they
came out, Hank came running
up to her and said, “I’m
late to catch my ride. I’m
on my way to California.
Will you marry me when I get
back?” as he was running
down the street. She said,
“Yes I will”. They wrote
letters to each other while
he was in California and
upon his return they were
married November 30, 1935.
At his death they had been
married 56 years. Hazel was
a very hard worker. Most of
her life was spent on the
farm where she worked beside
Hank in many ways including:
ranching, dairy farming, and
truck farming. In 1941, with
two small children they
moved to California to make
enough money to buy a farm.
Hank worked two shifts a day
while Hazel took in laundry
and worked in a candy
factory. On weekends they
peddled oranges on a street
corner. They returned in
1946 to spend the rest of
their lives in Oklahoma.
Hank tried to get her back
to California in 1949 to
earn more money, but Hazel
being an old Okie refused to
go back to live with ‘prune
pickers’. She survived the
depression years, the dust
bowl days, and the loss of
their first baby girl born
December 9, 1936, who died
December 25, 1936. Hazel was
preceded in death by her
parents, a brother Albert, 2
sisters, Ruby and Lucille,
her husband Hank and baby
daughter, Frieda Mae. Hazel
is survived by a son Ben
Naylor and wife Willena of
Washington, Oklahoma, a
daughter Frances Alsup and
husband James of Washington,
Oklahoma, 8 grandchildren
and 11 great grandchildren.
Hazel loved attending her
church, Purcell Free Will
Baptist. She enjoyed many
hobbies including cooking
and quilting. Crocheting was
one of her best talents. She
enjoyed a good laugh and had
a full life. She said
often,” I would not have
made it this far if the Lord
had not taken care of me and
I thank him every day.”
Graveside Funeral Services
were held Saturday, February
9, 2013, at the Hillside
Cemetery.