Hazel Melville

VISITATION:

9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Sunday, May 28 at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel

SERVICE:

11:30 a.m., Sunday, May 28 at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel

Hazel Mae Melville, age 87 of Anson, WI, Chippewa County, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Monday, May 22, 2017 at the Chippewa Manor Nursing Home.

Hazel was born on June 10, 1929, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the only child of Lyle and Florence (McLeod) Orr of Hartford, SD. When she was just a year old, her family moved to Meckling, SD, where Hazel later attended the Meckling School and graduated from there in 1947. She then attended college at USD in Vermillion for 2 years.

Hazel met John Melville Jr. on the family farm in Anson in December of 1948 after being asked to be a travel companion for a nearby neighbor from South Dakota who was coming to WI for her niece's wedding. John told his family shortly after their acquaintance that he would one day marry her. Almost immediately they began writing letters and were married on August 5, 1949, at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Vermillion, SD. They celebrated 49 wonderful years together.

Hazel spent her life loving her family and helping John on the Melville Century Farm. She always had a smile on her face, was hard working, and loved to have fun. She enjoyed reading the daily newspapers, making strawberry and rhubarb jams, taking fishing trips to Canada, boating on Lake Wissota and the Chippewa River and snowmobiling. Hazel also took pride in her vegetable garden and was so glad when that last jar of peaches or pickles popped on the kitchen counter. Playing cards with family and friends was a weekly occurrence as were trips to the casinos. It was a special joy for her to watch her grandchildren perform in the Chippewa Falls Marching Band; exhibit their animals at the Northern WI State Fair and in their extra-curricular school activities. Hazel looked forward to spending as much time as she could with her family and friends.

Hazel is survived by her 2 daughters, Debbie (Jon) Anderson of Cadott, Sandy (Loren) Lueck of Chippewa Falls; 4 grandchildren, Jason Anderson of Chippewa Falls, Ryan (Emily) Anderson, Stacy (Ashly) Steinke, all of Cadott, and Jessica (Blake) Pozarski of Boyd; 6 great grandchildren, Ellie and Reid Anderson, Grayson and Lane Steinke, Wyatt and Finley Pozarski; her very loving, caring and devoted friend, Arthur Mathis now of Spokane WA.; sister in law, Helen Roberts of Cadott; 2 nieces, Sally Roberts of Chaska MN and Roxi (Bob) Semmelhack of Cadott.

She is preceded in death by her husband John in 1999, her parents; and brother in law, John Roberts.

The family wishes to thank St. Joseph's Hospice for the wonderful care they gave Hazel during her last few days.

We also wish to extend a very special thank you to the entire staff at the Chippewa Manor Nursing Home for their exceptional care and the personal attention they gave to our mother and grandmother.

A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 28 at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, 44 E. Columbia St., Chippewa Falls with Rev. Aaron Sturgis officiating.

Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home on Sunday.

Private interment will be held at Copp Cemetery, town of Anson, Chippewa County.

In lieu of flowers, it was Hazel's wish that memorials be made to Irvine Park and Zoo c/o Chippewa Falls Parks and Recreation Department, 30 W Central St., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 in her memory.