Obituary for Hazel Hougen
Phyllis Hazel Jennaway Hougen, 96, passed through death into eternal life on January 2, 2016. Hazel was born to Charles and Nellie (Wolff) Jennaway in "a little house on the prairie" south of Melstone, Montana on March 7, 1919. �� �� ��She grew up on her family's Weed Creek homestead along with her sister Betty and brother Morris. She helped milk the cows and learned to ride on her gentle horse "Chipmunk." Her parents wanted their children to have a good education, making sure the kids went to school even in the hard times. When the great depression hit and the family could no longer afford to rent their home in Custer, Hazel lived in the school's dormitory with a house mother and graduated from Custer High School's Class of 1936. Being awarded the Valedictorian scholarship, she moved to the big city and enrolled in the Billings Normal School (now MSU-B). Hazel walked six miles a day to get to classes, becoming a teacher whom later worked at the Tullock Creek and Consolidated Sanders Schools in Treasure County and the Glendive School. �� �� ��Hazel met her husband, Harold Hougen, at a dance in Musselshell and they were united in marriage on June 2, 1944. Harold and Hazel ranched in Musselshell and Melstone, raising cattle, corn and 5 kids. They raised independent thinkers and always had an open door and a hot meal for anyone that needed it. Hazel loved the Melstone Broncs and enjoyed watching her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids excel in sports and academics. Her hobbies included painting, crocheting, reading, and writing. She wrote her memoir "Water Under the Bridge" and also was a faithful friend to many through the lost art of letter writing. Hazel's remarkable journey through life brought her from the days of horse and buggys to the days of receiving emails from her family. �� �� ��In 1957 a visit from a traveling preacher, Harold Tannehill and his wife Mary Lou, changed Hazel's life. In her words, "All the things that I had wanted to know all my life were becoming clear. Jesus was the answer. I prayed for Jesus to become my personal savior and to come into my life and forgive me. I now had a relationship with God and knew that I would spend eternity with God forever in heaven when I died." She was 38 at the time. She had a love for the Word of God, even reading her Bible while she was ironing clothes. She taught Sunday School at the Melstone Bible Church, and continually taught Bible Studies at her home up until her death. She had the gift of evangelism, spreading the Good News of the Gospel everywhere she went. The entire community of Melstone, along with Hazel's large extended family, have all been influenced and blessed because of her faith in Jesus and her love and generosity towards all. �� �� ��Hazel is survived by her 5 children: Tom (Helen) Hougen of Melstone, Terry (Greg) Dorow of Billings, Kathy (John) Eike of Melstone, Gail (Paul) Taylor of Olympia, WA, and Glen (Jeanne) Hougen of Broomfield, CO; 15 Grandkids: Alan (Mikell) Hougen, Sara (Russ) Wilcox, Heidi (Shane) Borlaug, Nicole (Frank) Nienaber, Natalie (Jared) Dickerson, Ole (Linsey) Eike, Leah (Spencer) Frederick, Kale (Callie) Eike, Brittany (Wes) Taylor, Marcelle (Xad) Gonzalez, Nyle Taylor, and Ashton, Haley, Kenya and Hudson Hougen; and 16 great-grandkids. She was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, Harold Hougen, her sister Betty Schoemer, her brother Morris Jennaway and foster son Jim Seibert. �� �� �� A celebration of Hazel's extraordinary life will be held at the Melstone Community Center on Thursday, January 7th; at 2:00 pm. Memorials can be made to the Melstone Bible Church Building Fund or the Melstone EMTs Building Fund. �� �� ��Romans 10:9-10 "If you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Service:
2:00 p.m., Thursday
January 7, 2015��
Melstone Community Center
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Service:
2:00 p.m., Thursday
January 7, 2015��
Melstone Community Center
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