Hazel Lavonne Byrns Frederick was born on Nov. 8, 1928, in a farmhouse north of Bagley. She was the second of four daughters born to Clyde and Cora (Dagit) Byrns.
Hazel grew up as a “Farm Girl,” helping her dad with livestock chores and field work. This was how she developed her love for farm life and being outdoors.
Hazel attended school in Cooper and graduated from Franklin Twp. High School in 1946. After graduation, she worked at the Jefferson State Bank until March of 1949, when she married Robert Frederick and they began farming in Franklin Twp., just half a mile north of the farm where she grew up.
Here they raised their two sons, Rodney and Alan.
Hazel actively worked alongside her husband, Bob, doing livestock chores and fieldwork, especially operating the corn picker for many fall harvests.
Hazel was a member of the Bagley United Methodist Church and many organizations, including the American Legion Auxiliary, Bagley Garden Club, United Methodist Women, and she was a 50-year member of the Greene County Hospital Auxiliary.
Hazel had many interests and hobbies over the years, including fishing, golfing, biking, bowling and gardening. She especially enjoyed growing flowers, and planted red petunias this year in observance of the COVID-19 epidemic.
Hazel enjoyed many “Frederick Family” fishing trips to Pakwash, Canada, and Eagle Rock, Mo. Other special trips were to Hawaii, Washington, D.C., and Yellowstone National Park. Hazel and Bob spent several winters in their travel trailer with Bob’s sister and husband in Florida, and as she said, “Those were the good times.”
She was blessed with seven grandchildren and some of the times spent with them included playing cards, board games, biking, ice skating and their yearly day-trips to Springbrook State Park. They could always find Grandma’s homemade cookies in her cookie jar.
Hazel and Bob retired to Jefferson in the fall of 1999, and in August of 2015 they moved to Lakeside Village in Panora, where she enjoyed many activities and made many new friends.
Hazel Frederick died Oct. 18. She was 91 years of age.
Preceding her in death were her husband of 69 years, Bob; her parents, Clyde and Cora Byrns; and two sisters, Ruth Byrns and Eleanor Toomey.
Hazel is survived by her sons: Rodney (Deena) and Alan (Ann); seven grandchildren: Daniel (Jodi) Frederick, Sara (Alan) Borgeson, Carolyn (Brandon) Renshaw, Elizabeth (Bret) Pierce, Karen (Daniel) Tungesvik, Mary Hinton, and Bill (Melissa) Frederick; 18 great-grandchildren; a sister, Judy Larson-Kemble, of Ames; three sisters-in-law: Sandra Parks, of Cleveland, Minn.; Mary Beckley, of Eagle Rock, Mo.; and Doris Frederick, of Cleghorn; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Private family services were held Oct. 22 at the Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson, with words of comfort by Pastor Larry Monthei of Bagley United Methodist Church.
Recorded music included “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art” and “Precious Lord Take My Hand.”
Casket bearers were Daniel Frederick, Sarah Borgeson, Carolyn Renshaw, Elizabeth Pierce, Karen Tungesvik, Mary Hinton and Bill Frederick.
Private interment was in the Richland Twp. Cemetery, Guthrie County.