Hazel M. Willems

Hazel M. Willems, loving wife and mother, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 30, 2015 at St. Joseph’s Home.

Born on December 22, 1918 in North Dakota, she was the daughter of the late Christian and Petra (Ensrud) Sethne.

Hazel attended local schools and excelled in academics.  On May 10, 1947 at St. James Catholic Church she was united in marriage to James L. Willems.  Sadly he preceded her in death in 2008.

During WWII Hazel supported the war effort by inspecting artillery shells.  Hazel was a proud homemaker. To ensure her children attended St. Joseph High School and college she worked at both Josephson & Thomey Hardware and at The House of Nutrition.

She was a member of the former St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.  She will be remembered for her luck at Bingo and traveling with her husband.  She loved singing the oldies, especially “Hooray for Hazel” and had so many stories to share of the old days and of family.  She will be especially remembered for passing on her love of reading to her children and grandchildren.

Hazel is survived by her children, Susan ( Larry) Jaen, Larry (Pat) Willems, and Terry (Joan) Willems; her grandchildren, Lauren (fiancé’ Alex Walton), Kate (Rob) Cronk, Amy Patrick, Annie (Jeff) Flesch and Ben (Joelle) Willems, and her four great grandchildren, Jax, Brody, Carson, and Gavin.

She was preceded in death by three brothers, Leif, Norman, and Lynn Sethne, and her three sisters, Frieda Shankland, Ruth Keith and Pearl Sethne.

Hazel’s family would like to extend their special thank you to Sister Liz and the staff at St. Joseph’s Home, her dear friend Bernice Epping, and Dr. Suzanne Mattox for their ever present love and care.