Hazel G.M. Wright

On Monday, January 30, 2006, Hazel Gertrude Mary Wright died at the SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation Center in Moses Lake. She was a resident there for two and one half years.

Hazel was born in Langruth, Manitoba, Canada on March 30, 1921 to Samuel Leslie and Mable West. She was the middle child in a family of three girls and three boys. When she was 6 years old the family moved to southern Alberta where she was raised and graduated from Cardston High School.

Hazel met Claude Lamont Wright when he was hired by her father to work on their farm. Claude was attracted to her yodeling and was her escort to the District Carnival where she was crowned queen. They were married on October 19, 1941 at her home on the Milk River Ridge. Claude and Hazel had three children, John, Claudia and Bill, and moved from southern Alberta in September of 1952 to Moses Lake. Hazel needed to work to help get the family established and did waitress work for several years at The Turf Cafe, The Vista Cup and Bea's Drive-in. One morning at the restaurant the Manager of the Grange Supply offered her a job as a bookkeeper where she ended up working for 21 years. After she retired as credit manager (bookkeeper), she earned her real estate license and worked for Dave Jones Reality for a number of years. Hazel had her fair share of challenges; she was a survivor of colon cancer.

In 1992, she served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City. While in Salt Lake she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. After her return from Salt Lake, Hazel made her home in Spokane where her son Bill lived. She also lived with her daughter Claudia in Arizona and in Portland. In 2000 she returned to live in Moses Lake with her son, John, for a time before moving to an assisted living facility.

Hazel is survived by her sons John and Bill and daughter Claudia, thirteen grandchildren, and 37 great-grandchildren. Bill West is her only surviving sibling who resides in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Preceding her in death was her husband Claude in 1985, a grandson Michael Wright, brothers Leslie, and Frank and sisters May Kunsman and Grace Carlson.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday 2005 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 1036 West Rose Avenue in Moses Lake. Her son, Bishop John Wright, of the Moses Lake 4th Ward will be officiating. Interment will follow in the Pioneer Memorial Gardens.

Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel & Crematory, Moses Lake. The family will greet friends at the funeral home on Friday evening from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and at the church on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.

Those wishing to make a donation can do so by donating to the American Cancer Society, in memory of Hazel Wright.