Hazel Lillian Cottrell

Hazel passed away peacefully in the Cowichan District Hospital on Thursday, February 7, 2013 after a very short illness. She went to be forever more with her late husband Dr. Jack D. Cottrell who predeceased her in 1992.

Hazel is survived by four children, Judy Holmes (Donald) of Duncan, Thomas Cottrell of Olds, Alberta, Janis Suess of Vancouver and Bonnie Cassidy (Steve) of Wawanesa Manitoba, She has seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters Irene Cwihun and Alice Thomson both of Edmonton, and two brothers, Art Boggs of Vermilion, Alberta and Vernon Boggs of Toronto.

Hazel was born on April 26, 1921 in Vancouver B.C. but lived her early life in Daysland, Alberta with parents George Arthur Boggs and Anna Boggs. She went to high school in Daysland and studied piano through the Royal Conservatory of Music, and was certified in 1940 in performance and teaching. She then went to Normal School at the University of Alberta and taught in one-room schools in central Alberta for two years. She married Jack in Edmonton on May 15, 1944 following Jack's graduation in medicine at UofA. After the war when Jack was discharged from the Army, they moved to Provost, Alberta where they lived for 11 years then moved to Lethbridge for another 11 years. During this period, Hazel was a member of the first class of Lethbridge Junior College which later became the University of Lethbridge. She also loved to play the piano, taught piano and accompanied singing students for many years.

After Hazel and Jack moved to Calgary in 1967, Hazel attended the University of Calgary where she completed her Bachelor of Arts with a double major in French and Western Canadian History. Her love of French and history stayed with her always. She loved to read and enjoyed books on history, novels and true stories plus French langauage magazines. She particularly enjoyed Jane Austen novels, Shakespeare plays and mysteries by P.D. James. Books were her favourite Christmas gifts.

Hazel and Jack moved to Mill Bay from Calgary in 1975. They built a house with a view and Hazel built a beautiful garden. Flowers, flowering shrubs, trees and vegetables all were a passionate interest. During this period, Hazel was a dedicated member of Sylvan United Church where she was Music Director for 15 years. Hazel moved to Duncan two years ago and lived in Wedgewood House.

Hazel also loved to do needle work art pieces and give them as gifts to her family and friends. She won several prizes at the Cowichan and District Exhibition in the cross-stitich division and even won first prize one year for a cross-stich piece entered in the Edmonton Fall Fair.

The Cowichan Golf and Country Club captured her interest in 1977 when Jack gave her a membership. She enjoyed golfing with the Ladies Division for many years before gifting her membership to her daughter Judy.

Hazel was a very caring, strong-willed, independent, hardworking person dedicated to her family and church. She was always happy and had a smile on her face. She will be missed deeply and remembered lovingly by her immediate family members, relatives, church members and friends.

There will be a memorial service at Sylvan United Church in Mill Bay at 11:00 AM on Saturday, February 23rd. The family is very grateful and thankful for all the loving care and attention of staff at the Cowichan District Hospital, and Cairnsmore Transition Unit. The family would be pleased if donations in lieu of flowers are made to either Sylvan United Church or Cowichan District Hospital Foundation.