Hazel Harrison

Hazel M. Harrison age 84 of Spearfish, died Friday, February 14, 2014 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital. The funeral service will be held 11am Friday, February 21st 2014 at St. James Lutheran Church in Belle Fourche, with Pastor Jeff Otterman officiating. Visitation will be held 4 to 6pm Thursday at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Interment will take place in Pine Slope Cemetery, Belle Fourche. Memorials are preferred to Story Book Island. Hazel Marrie Leighton was born June 15, 1929 at her family’s home near White River, South Dakota. She was the daughter of William and Opal (Critchfield) Leighton. Hazel grew up in the country near White River and Witten, and on December 9, 1948 she was united in marriage to Robert Harrison in White River. To this union were born 5 children: Mary, Shirley, Kay, Janice, and Bill. In 1963, the family moved to Kadoka where Hazel waitressed at a truck stop. In 1969 they moved to Nisland where Hazel worked in various places throughout the area. Robert died in 1982 and in 2000, Hazel moved to Spearfish. Hazel was a very hard working and devoted mother, and she was an excellent house keeper. For several years she helped Robert with his trucking business, and after his death she continued working as a hostess and waitress at several places in the Newell and Nisland areas. She also liked to have fun. She loved music and enjoyed singing and dancing. She also loved to ride horses in her younger years, and she was talented at embroidery and gave away many embroidered towels. She loved to bake and she was a wonderful mother who was very proud of her children and grandchildren. She will be greatly missed. Hazel is survived by her daughters, Kay (Don) Linch of Belle Fourche, Shirley Bethancourt of Belle Fourche, Mary (Bobby) Crane of Rapid City, Janice (Roger) Cummings of Box Elder; son, Bill Harrison of Belle Fourche; brother, Bud (Jean) Leighton of Witton SD; sisters, Arlene (Al) Olson of Winner SD, Donna Larvie of Mission SD; 12 grandchildren; and 22 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and great grandson, Cameron Carlson.