Hazel Huffman's Obituary
Hazel Maxine (Farr) Huffman passed away peacefully on June 19, 2022, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s, at Golden Age Living Center in Stover, Missouri.
Hazel is proceeded in death by and her son Jerry Mikel Huffman, her brothers Joe Farr and Charles (Junior) Farr. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Larry Huffman, daughters Rita Huffman and Teresa Stephenson (Tom), her sister Shirley Root and brothers Wray and John Farr.
Hazel was born on June 24, 1939, and grew up in Gravois Mills. She was the 1953 winner of the Gravois Mills Drive-In Theatre popularity contest, winning a record 131,000__ votes in a town of 34 people. She graduated in 1958 from Versailles Senior High, had a near perfect attendance record (she skipped a day of school to help her prom date/future husband pick out a tuxedo). She lettered in volleyball and was a member of the Future Homemakers of America (FHA).
Hazel Married Larry Huffman on December 27, 1958. They had 3 children, Rita, Teresa (Stephenson) and Jerry. They moved to Overland Park, Kansas, where they learned much about the Bible from Jehovah’s Witnesses. Hazel dedicated her life and became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on July 23, 1969. She spent countless hours volunteering in the Bible educational work, sharing what she learned.
In 1973 the family returned to their hometown of Versailles where she spent the rest of her life. Larry and Hazel attended the Stover congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses. Their children grew up and got married, and Larry started his own company, Huffman Masonry to supporte his family, until his retirement in 2016. Hazel and Larry are grandparents to 6 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Hazel was loved by family and countless friends. She enjoyed cooking, cleaning, and sewing. Hazel was a gracious and enthusiastic hostess. She loved entertaining and welcomed visitors with a smile and a cup of coffee! Adults who remember Hazel from when they were children, recall feeling like big stuff when they passed up Hazel in height (she was 4’8”) saying it was “a milestone of growing up.”
Her grandchildren remember spending part of each summer vacation with her. It was a tradition for her to pull over the car and let them “rescue” turtles crossing the road and allowing them to bring them to her back yard.
Whether it was the cleanliness of her carefully coordinated and decorated home or the method of how to map out the best routes for the garage sales on Fridays, Hazel had a way to do it and she wasn’t afraid to tell you how! Her annual garage sale at her home on “W” Highway was legendary, worth the 6:30am drive to wait outside the garage door! She loved to sip her sweet tea in the breezeway and wait for Larry to return home from work with an empty lunch pail that she had packed full that morning.
Hazel loved her family and her God, expressing her faith regularly to others at their door, on the phone, or in daily conversations. Hazel’s faith in the Bible’s promise of a resurrection to a perfect earth allowed her to endure the loss of various friends and family over the years. It is that same hope from John 5:28,29 that she herself trusted when she fell asleep in death.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 25th, 2022, via Zoom Video Conferencing.
Family and friends may inquire regarding the video conferencing information by
emailing: [email protected]
Cremation arrangements under direction of the HT May & Son Funeral Home Sedalia, MO
The family asks that in lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Hospice Compassus of Osage Beach, MO. www.compassuslivingfoundation.org
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