Hazel Dorothy DeMars

Mankato Mortuary
1001 North Riverfront Drive
Mankato, Minnesota 56001
507-388-2202

Hazel Dorothy DeMars, age 90 of Mankato, died Monday, September 15, 2014 at Oaklawn Heath Care Center in Mankato.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Mankato with Rev. Thomas Braun officiating. Burial will be in St. John's Ev. Lutheran Cemetery in St. Clair. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service on Thursday. Mankato Mortuary in charge of arrangements.

Hazel was born October 19, 1923 to Herman and Dorothy (Fitzloff) Frank in St. Clair, Minnesota. She graduated from St. Clair High School. Hazel attended Mankato Teachers College for two years and then worked in the Twin Cities at a defense plant during the war. She returned home to help on the family farm after her brother entered the Navy. Hazel was united in marriage to LaVerne DeMars on September 6, 1946 in St. Clair, they divorced later in life. She resumed her college after her children reached school age and graduated from Mankato Teachers College with a degree in education. She taught third grade for District 77 at Roosevelt Elementary in Mankato retiring in 1980.

She was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Alpha Theta Chapter of ESA, VFW Auxiliary #950 and Retired Educator Association. Hazel particularly loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed travel, cards, watching the Twins and Timberwolves, crafts including painting, ceramics, and jewelry. Hazel also enjoyed socializing with friends and wintering in Pharr, TX after retirement.

Hazel is survived by her four children, Peter (Sharon) DeMars of Maricopa, AZ, Gary DeMars of Minneapolis, Debra (Warren) Peterson of Mankato, Daniel DeMars of Hawaii; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and cousins.

Preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother, Harland; two sisters, Norma and Alice.