Hazel Marie (Harrington Saunders) Lister

LISTER, Hazel Marie

1923 - 2021

 Hazel Marie Lister (Harrington) (Saunders) left this earthly life five days short of her 98th birthday.  She was born January 18, 1923 in Oregon.  Her parents were homesteaders in the Cereal/Chinook/Youngstown area and because they were 20 miles by horse & buggy to the nearest doctor in January, Hazel's mother, Effie Harrington rode the train to her family in Oregon to await the arrival of her baby.  So, Hazel was American, born to naturalized Canadian citizen parents. She grew up in the dirty thirties, knowing how to work and make do.  Her family moved to Lacombe in 1941 for better land and to be closer to town. Hazel married Bert Saunders in 1945 and they farmed in the Lincoln district on the Saunders family farm.  Hazel was active in the community with the Lincoln ladies. She loved to garden, picking raspberries, coercing anyone she could into helping.  Being a farmer's wife, there was never a shortage of eggs to gather, chickens to pluck, and harvesters to feed.  Bert passed away in 1974 and Hazel sold the farm and moved into Lacombe in 1975.  She worked for many years for Alberta Hail & Crop until her retirement in 1988.  She married Dick Lister in 1991 and they danced all over the area with Alberta Roamers. They danced six days a week.  They played cards, Hazel played the piano for years with a band called the Hazel Nuts, including Jack Cookson, Eilert Rebne, Maurice Van Hereweighe, Ed Schmidt, Ed Nowochin & Ken Oliphant. They entertained at many functions, including Sundays at Kozy Korner.

Dick & Hazel lived in the Senior Citizens Lodge for several years.  Dick passed away in 2017 and Hazel moved to Royal Oak where she enjoyed doing puzzles every day.

Hazel is survived by her daughters Lois (Dave) Cookson and Shirley (Marvin) Honecker, six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.  She was predeceased by her parents O.D. & Effie Harrington, brother Robert, sisters Ruth and Marjorie.  She outlived all of her family. “John Parsons will be rolling through the clouds with his bus and will pick up Hazel on the road to Heaven.

The family would like to thank all of the Royal Oak staff for the exceptional care Hazel received.  A small family service will be held in the spring. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Hazel Marie (Harrington Saunders) Lister, please visit our floral store.