With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Hazel Hamner.
Some lives speak quietly; her is one such story.
Hazel held deeply to the Baptist faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew her best.
A life of belief is a life of quiet conversation with something larger.
Hazel Marie Hamner went home to be with her Savior on Monday evening, April 27, 2026, with her daughter, Diane, and granddaughter, Teresa, by her side. Though our hearts are heavy, we find peace in knowing she is with Jesus. She was blessed with ninety-seven years of a beautiful life, centered around a loving husband and a family who meant everything to her.
Hazel was born on June 20, 1928, in Houston, Texas. Raised during the Great Depression, Hazel learned resilience at an early age and carried with her a lifelong appreciation for the things that mattered most, like her family and her faith in Jesus.
As the eldest of five children, Hazel helped pave the way for her siblings, Ray, Norma, June, and David. She attended Klein High School, where she stayed actively involved, participating in 4-H, playing on the volleyball team, performing in the band as a trumpet player, and serving as a Pep Squad leader and flag-bearer. She was also honored as Homecoming Queen.
After graduating, Hazel attended Massey Business College, where she earned a secretarial degree before beginning her career at Cameron Iron Works. She also served as the Sunday School secretary at Recreation Acres Baptist Church. It was there, one Sunday morning, that Doyal Calvin Hamner, recently returned from military service, first saw Hazel, and told his mother, "That's the girl I'm going to marry." After about a year of courtship, he proposed on June 1, 1948, and they were married just three months later, on September 3, 1948, at their church.
Nearly ten months after their wedding, Hazel and Doyal welcomed their first child, Marilyn, in June 1949. One year and one day later, Diane was born, followed by their son, Russell. Hazel devoted her early years to raising her children. She worked for several years as a Secretary at Dresser Industries before retiring at the age of fifty when she and Doyal moved to Arkansas.
They made their home in Springdale, Arkansas, for twenty-two years before returning to Texas to be closer to family. After some time in Henderson, they settled in Cypress, where they cherished being near their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Hazel is now joyfully reunited in Heaven with her beloved husband, Doyal, her daughter, Marilyn, her son, Russell, and many dear family members and friends who preceded her. Her life was marked by unwavering faith, deep devotion to her family, and a joyful appreciation for life's simple pleasures - like her love of birdwatching and sweets!
Her life was a blessing and her memory a treasure. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
