Hazel Wathen

age 90 of Forest Lake and Mora, died on Saturday, August 29, 2009

She was born in Piatt County, DeLand, Illinois on August 22, 1919 to William and Abbie Perkins.

She lived near DeLand, Illinois and in her youth moved to Estherville, Iowa where she attended school.  Hazel was married to Gilbert Wathen of Superior, Iowa on March 30, 1936. Later they moved to the Hinckley and Ogilvie, Minnesota areas.

She was a nurses aide at the Holy Family Hospital in Estherville, Iowa. After moving to Minnesota she worked at the Pine City Memorial Hospital and Cambridge State School and Hospital. She later moved to St. Paul, and worked at the St. Mary’s Hospital in Mpls. While residing at White Bear Lake, Hazel worked at the Golden Age Nursing Home at Roseville and the Linnea Nursing Home at Saint Paul. In 1972, Hazel and Gilbert moved back to Saint Paul. Hazel worked at Midway Hospital for 13 years, retiring to a farm in the Mora area in 1979.

In 1983, they moved to Mora and lived there until moving to Forest Lake in 1997, moving back to Mora in 2004.  She loved flowers, gardening, canning, baking, and sewing.

Preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Gilbert; parents William & Abbie Perkins; sisters, Florence, Violet, Velma, and Dorothy.

Hazel is survived by her son Gary (LaVonne); grandchildren, Cheryl Bennett, David Wathen, Terry Wathen, Jacqueline (Anthony) Poliseno, Carma (Rick) Perleberg, Sharon (Walter) Schendel, Katherine (Michael) Ryan; twenty great grandchildren; 14 great great grandchildren.