Hazel Etter, 94

Hazel Etter, 94, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Nov. 20, 2012, in Coeur d’Alene. Hazel was born on May 9, 1918, in Alexander, Kan., to Henry and Evelyn Webs. She grew up on a wheat farm along with her siblings Leo, Erma and Lawrence. She had many fond memories of her childhood. In 1944 she married Edward (Frank) Etter. The two had met on a bus during World War II. Frank was in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was stationed in Kansas at the time. After the war, they relocated to Detroit, Mich.

Hazel and Frank moved to California in 1961, where she taught home economics at Santa Ana High School until her retirement in 1985. Frank passed away in California in 1998.

Hazel is survived by her son, Neal Etter of Oxnard, Calif.; her daughter, Suzanne Weir and her son-in-law, Michael Weir of Hayden; and three grandsons, Nicholas, Jeffery and Christopher Weir.

Hazel was always an upbeat and optimistic person who saw the best in people. Even though she didn’t become a grandmother until she was in her 70s, she was able to enjoy being part of her grandsons’ lives and watched each graduate from high school. She always enjoyed being around her family.

Hazel moved to Hayden to be close to Suzanne and her family in 2002. She was able to live in her own home until this last year. Although her body was failing her, her mind remained sharp to the very end.

Funeral services were held for Hazel on Dec. 1, 2012, at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, Calif.