While Mother Teresa is so right, I will say that in my Mom's life, there was plenty of love AND magnitude.
Mrs. Nancy:
Den Mother
Camp Fire Girl Leader for all three girls in different groups at the same time
Camp Fire Board of Directors
Honorary Lifetime Member of Camp Fire
PTA President
Woman of Achievement for the Arch Diocese of Oklahoma City
Oklahoma Parks and Recreation Employee of the Year
Too many honors to list due to sheer magnitude.
And THEN there is love.
It was not unusual to be at a restaurant, the store, the mall or other public place and see what we called "the look." People would stop, glance shyly over, then a little more directly and then....their eyes would light up and they would approach.
"Mrs Hazelton!"
"You were my preschool teacher."
"You taught me to paint."
"You taught my child."
"You gave me a ride to basketball (or insert play practice, camp or home.)."
And Mom would smile, speak for awhile and then the conversation almost always ended in a hug.
Thank goodness for station wagons! And thank goodness there were no seat belt laws is the 60's, 70's or 80's. Because it wasn't unusual for 10 kids crammed into the wagon- singing, laughing, joking and loving life. And Mom was actually the calm center in all of this. Occasionally, I would catch her eye in the rear view mirror and see her smiling, for she LOVED children, and she loved fun!
Did I say fun? Oh my gosh, yes!!!!!! Our house was the epicenter of fun. It wasn't sterile, tidy or neat. It was full of chaos, noise, acceptance and love.
There's that word again. LOVE! And every child- and there were many- who sought refuge or respite from their own chaotic lives, knew they were loved, accepted and valued the minute they passed through the door.
Many people told us that they considered Mrs Hazelton to be their second mom or that they wished their own mother could be as wonderful as she. So many children experienced art, adventure or love due to the fact that Nancy felt so strongly about helping children when they needed it.
For many years, Mom served as the one and only chaperone for the weekly Camp Dakani Counselor Overnight. This allowed teenage counselors to spend the night at camp. Upon learning that the overnight was to be cancelled due to lack of an adult chaperone, Mom volunteered. She spend every Tuesday night getting bitten by mosquitoes, listening to giggling girls who were supposed to be sleeping and then watching as we hiked to the creek at 1:00 a.m. to go frog hunting with Uncle Dan the Camp Ranger.. We canoed down the creek to catch frogs for the Wednesday frog races. Talk about fun!
And talk about hundreds of girls who slept under the stars, listened to trees sway in the Oklahoma wind, heard frogs croaking and then final quiet as giggles gave way to exhaustion. Dawn arrived, and Mom in her pink curlers attempted to wake up grumpy girls, then took a short, cold sponge bath out of the water spigot and drove to work- no doubt completely exhausted from little sleep but happy that her girls had fun. This went on for years, even after her last child went to college.
Perhaps, due to her own difficult childhood, Ms. Nancy had a special place in her heart for troubled children, or lonely children or children who just needed a little extra attention and someone to listen. She was ALL ABOUT the underdog. Mom never met an underdog she didn't like!
Mom's first center was in the inner city. Upon gaining control of the center, she discovered very few programs other than the half-court basketball games had been established. She worked tirelessly to develop strong art, cultural and performing arts programs at this center. Paint was a regular part of her life. So were messy paper mache, glue, glitter, yarn and Popsicle sticks. Somehow, she would fashion these things into beautiful arts and crafts, costumes and parade floats for children to create and enjoy.
Mom went on to teach at Villa Teresa with the Carmelite Sisters Of Saint Therese. Sisters, she absolutely adored you! She told us many endearing stories about all of you. We love that one of you adopted 2 abandoned kitties- an act forbidden by the Mother Superior- and Mom was your partner in
Family was important to Nancy. She, along with her husband Clovis, managed to put 5 children through private school. She managed to make every game, every play, every recital, every event. Her grandchildren were so important to her! She kept them, helped out in raising them, nurtured and loved them. She made all of their events as well.
To Daddy: You were her ever present sidekick. You stayed up with her for hours making parade floats, costumes, tissue flowers for decorations, etc. You did it because you loved your girl and her children.
She's gone too soon..... We thought we had more time. A dear friend of mine- one who feels strongly that Mom had a direct influence in her life- gave me her theory as to why God chose to call her home at this time. It took someone else to help me make sense of it all.
You see, when Nancy Hazelton went home to meet her Lord on Thursday, February 7th, at 3:00 a.m., St Peter not only threw open the gates, he ran and met her halfway!
"Oh, Mrs Hazelton, thank goodness you're here! First, good job while you lived on earth. Excellent job! Your life was full of giving and love right up to the very end, but your work is not done. Every day, we greet small little souls here in heaven, but most recently, we received some very special little souls suddenly and all at once. While we love them very dearly as we do with all God's children, they are, quite frankly, driving us crazy! We need someone who understands children. We need someone to love them, nurture them and guide them. We know of no finer person to accomplish this than Nancy Hazelton. You come highly recommended."
Mom most assuredly replied:
"Oh, St Peter, you've answered my prayer. I was afraid there would be no art in heaven. But first before I begin, family is ALWAYS #1. Let me greet my mom, my brother, sweet Jeannie and others I have loved and waited to see and THEN I will help you. I will roll up my sleeves and get to work. My only question is, WHERE DO YOU KEEP THE PAINT?"
