Hazel Myra Stanley Stellmacher

Services for Hazel Stanley Stellmacher will be held Friday, May 5, 2017. Visitation at 11:00am and Services at 12:00pm at Warren McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13TH Street, Lawrence, KS 66044. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence.

Hazel Myra Fogo, one of twelve children of William Lambie and Nellie Sinaloa (Calahan) Fogo was born on a farm in rural Burr Oak, Jewell Co, KS on October 15, 1921. She died peacefully in her sleep in a house fire at her home at 810 Wellington Rd, Lawrence, KS in the early hours of April 25, 2017. She was 95 years old.

Hazel graduated in three years from high school at Burr Oak, KS, with the Class of 1938. After completing “Normal Training” courses, she taught elementary children for two years in one room country school houses in Jewell County. When her mother was hospitalized for a month with a life threatening illness in the spring of 1940, Hazel took over the farm household duties of taking care of her younger siblings and preparing meals for threshing crews who came to help her father with wheat harvest. Generous to a fault, Hazel invested some of her teaching salary to buy for her mother, when she was able to come home, a gasoline powered washing machine, a gas Aladdin lamp and a gas iron for their non-electric home.
By the time her mother was well enough to take over the household duties it was too late to be a school teacher so Hazel moved to Wichita and enrolled in Wichita Business College and trained to be an Executive Secretary. A quick study, she soon mastered Gregg Shorthand, Typing, English, Spelling and sentence structure necessary to be hired by a large Law firm in Wichita. It was in Wichita towards the end of World War II, she met her first husband, Everett Keith Stanley, who at the time was recovering from combat war wounds. They would marry on December 28, 1945 in Wichita. Shortly thereafter they moved to Lawrence where Keith was studying Pharmacy at KU on a GI Bill.

Because of her typing and editing skills she supplemented family income by being in demand as the “go to” person to flawlessly type dissertations for innumerable KU professors to be. Because of her KU connection as an Executive Secretary to the Band Director, she was allowed to go to the 1948 Orange Bowl, a highlight for her but a disappointment for the football team that lost in the last second by a controversial call. Hazel and Keith’s three living children, Andrea and twins Virginia and Marcella were born when she and Keith lived at 917 Rhode Island in Lawrence and later at 1608 Vermont when the girls were in elementary school. The family would build the home designed by Keith at 810 Wellington Rd in 1958 where Hazel lived the rest of her life.

Keith and Hazel were avid bridge players and enjoyed getting together with friends to play. They were active members of the University Bridge Club and other bridge clubs. They enjoyed traveling and took several family trips. They took cruises to Alaska and Mexico. They loved to socialize and entertained friends and family with dinners they prepared together, and even an occasional martini. They would spend many memorable hours attending the sporting and school activities of all their grandchildren.

After Keith passed on January 21, 1991 of a heart attack, Hazel lived alone. She continued to play bridge and travel. Hazel would enjoy a trip of a lifetime to Singapore, China and surrounding area. She used her farm girl experiences to cultivate many unusual garden plants and extensive flower gardens around her home.

On February 15, 1998 in Lawrence, she would marry Edwin R. Stellmacher, whose first spouse had also passed away. She and Ed had eight years together traveling to places like Hawaii and visiting her brother annually in Atlanta, GA and Fort Myers, FL. While their time together was relatively short, they enjoyed each other and their common interests in playing Bridge, travelling, gardening and being with friends. Ed passed away on August 9, 2006.

Hazel was an avid reader her entire life. She continued to play bridge until she turned 95. She was a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church for more than 60 years, volunteering for the church Plant and Bake sale for many years. Over the years she was employed at KU music department, Allen Press, and Haverty & Hatfield Real Estate where she became an independent insurance agent until she retired.

Hazel is survived by her three daughters, Andrea “Andy” Corbin, Virginia “Gi” and husband Donald Minnis, and Marcella “Mar” and husband Bob Larrabee. She is also survived by her five grandsons and one granddaughter: Brian Corbin, Kevin and wife Elly Corbin, Oliver and wife Katie Minnis, Morgan Minnis, Jessica Larrabee, and Robert Larrabee. She was blessed with two great-grandsons. She was preceded in death by her parents and 10 brothers and sisters, and is survived by her two brothers, William Lambie, Jr and Nola Fogo of Platte City, MO, and Rod and Rada Fogo of St. Augustine, FL.

Describing Hazel in a few sentences is hard to do. She was petite but larger than life, hard of hearing but somehow knew what you were going to say anyway, loved to dress up but seldom dressed anyone down, made few enemies but mostly lifelong friends. Her family and friends will miss her friendship and her love. ‘Til we meet again.

The family suggests memorials to an education fund established in Hazel’s name to purchase books for USD 497 Sunset Hill Elementary School Library and to the Plymouth Congregational Church through Warren McElwain Mortuary.

4 Condolences

  1. Diane and Don Low on April 29, 2017 at 11:43 am

    Hazel was a kind and warm person who could make you feel special. We will remember her fondly. The Lows



  2. Rita (Workman) Burke on April 29, 2017 at 12:29 pm

    Hazel was such a sweet lady. May you all find peace knowing that she had a long wonderful life & that she knew how much she was loved by her family & friends.

    All my best, Rita



  3. Doug and Norma Stanley on April 30, 2017 at 9:24 am

    You are in our thoughts as you grieve the loss of Hazel.
    Deepest sympathies to you all. Doug and Norma Stanley



  4. Elizabeth Hickert Fike on May 1, 2017 at 11:13 am

    Hazel was such a special person in my life, even though I had not seen her since childhood. She made everyone feel special and I appreciated her soft spoken friendship. I know she was so important to her family and I hope all can take peace in her long and impactful presence on this planet. Love to you all.



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