Hazel Johnson King 

contributor: 

Oconto County Times-Herald 
January 17, 2001 

 
 

OCONTO FALLS - Hazel King, 94, passed away January 9, 2001 at Sharpe Care Ltd. Hazel was born Hazel Kathrina Johnson to Ole Christian and Anna Katherine (Johnson) Johnson on February 26, 1906 in the Town of Pound. She was baptized July 4, 1906 at Bethany Lutheran Church, Neganee, MI. Two years later, Ole and Anna moved to the Town of Grover. When Hazel was 8 years old the family moved to Claywood where she attended Claywood Grade School and Suring High School. After passing a special exam, she entered the Oconto Falls High School teacher training program. She graduated on June 4, 1924 and began teaching school at Hayes that same year. Hazel taught school for 38 years at schoolhouses throughout Oconto County including Hayes, Maple Valley, Klondike, Hickory Corners, Sunshine, Pershing, Beaver Lake, Spruce, Swedetown, Maple Grove, Degantown, Stiles Junction, Pound, Abrams and Lena. She earned her B.S. degree in education from Wisconsin State University-Oshkosh on August 5, 1965. She was a member of the Nicolet-Oconto Retired Teachers Association since 1971. As a young woman she worked summers for the Waters family at Kelly Lake,

She enjoyed dancing at places like The Round Roof and Kobe's Hall, where she met a handsome, hardworking farmer named Francis Xaiver King in l927. Francis and Hazel were married September 12, 1936 at the Mt. Olive Lutheran Church parsonage in Suring. The reception was held at the home of the brides parents in Claywood. The shivery took place at The Alamo in Stiles. Together, they operated a dairy farm on Main Street in Lena for 21 years, They had three children: Howard Francis born in 1937, Allan Paul born in 1941 and Mary Ann who was born and died in 1943. In 1957 they sold part of the farm to the village of Lena to build a new school. Hazel and Francis shared 53 years together and celebrated their 50th Anniversary at Patenaude's in Oconto Falls on September 14, 1986. Francis died October 30, 1989 in Green Bay.

Hazel was an active member of the Lena Homemakers until her death, and was honored by that organization for her 60, years of service in 2000. Hazel was a kind hearted, generous person who loved music, dancing, traveling, crossword puzzles, telling jokes, playing cards and bingo games. She was known for her potato salad, pickles, raspberries, and pecan pie. She will be sadly missed by family, friends, and her countless "schoolkids," who fondly remember her as Miss Johnson or Mrs. King.

Hazel is survived by her two sons and daughters-in-law, Howard and Pauline (Krueger) King, Porterfield, and Allan an Bonnie (Wagner) King, Pound; six grandchildren Cheryl VanDenRogart, Appleton Robert King, Seymour, Carolyn (Jim) Laskowski, Eau Claire, Kelly (Kathy) King, Pound, Ronald (Marylo) King, Coleman, Richard (Jill) King, Pound, and six great-grandchildren, Katlyn and Cessily King, and Brian, Anneliese, Elizabeth and Jonathon Laskowski. She is also survived by her brothers and sisters-in-law, Peter Skochpol, Oconto Falls, Raymond King, Two Rivers, Dorothy Johnson, Sheboygan, and Loretta Kleckner, Ocala, FL.

Also preceding her in death were her brothers, Harry, Howard, Delmar (Leona) Johnson, her sisters, Ellen (Walter) Meyers, Mabel (Ervin) Hougaard, Nora Skochpol, Alice (Harvey) Rusch and brothers-and-sisters-in-law Eleanor (Edward) Schultz, Agnes King, Archie King, Edna King, Marcella (Louis) Coisman and Amy (George) Edwards.

The funeral was held Friday Jan. 12 at the Rhodes-Charapata Funeral Home, Lena, with the Rev. Jerry Cho of the United Methodist Church officiating. Interment at Frostville Cemetery, Town of Maple Valley.

Rhodes-Charapata Funeral Home, Lena, served the family. Hazel's family wishes to thank the staff of Sharpe Care Ltd. for their care of Hazel during her stay there.


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