Hazel Stevenson Branch

Mrs. Hazel Stevenson Branch, 77, died at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital Wednesday, December 29, 2010. A service celebrating her life will be at 2:00 PM Sunday, January 2, 2011 at Guilford Park Presbyterian Church where she was a member.

Mrs. Branch was a native of Halifax County, NC and was the daughter of the late Hazel Piland and George M. Stevenson, Sr. She graduated with a double major in Math and French and a minor in Education from Wake Forest College. Mrs. Branch also took several accounting courses from Guilford College.

While at Wake Forest she met her husband to be, Howell; they have been married for 56 years. Her aptitude in business finance and operations helped establish and operate many of the family’s enterprises as treasurer of Branch and Company, PC. She retired when she turned 65.

Although her scholastic skills were many, she was involved in numerous other areas in the community through the YWCA’s Y Matrons serving as an officer as well as an officer in the Colony Club. She helped raise her children by being active in Boy and Girl Scouts, DeMolay, and The Rainbows.

Hazel was passionate about her hobbies such as bridge, piano, needlepoint, and crocheting. Her enjoyment of traveling began when she moved to Panama with her new husband and she traveled extensively with him throughout their marriage including a 2 month, 35,000 mile venture around the world. She was avid about sports especially the Atlanta Braves and Dallas Cowboys. She and her husband enjoyed watching baseball in all the professional baseball stadiums in the US.

She was preceded in death by her brother George M. Stevenson, Jr.

Surviving Hazel are her husband Howell; a daughter, Betsy Branch Lewis and her husband Tom of Charleston, SC; a son, W. Steve Branch and his wife Julie of Greensboro; grandchildren, Shannon Hewitt Buck, Emily Branch, Jonathan Branch, Aeriel Warner; and great grandson James Jackson (JJ) Alexander Hewitt.

The family will receive friends Saturday, 5-7 PM at the Hanes-Lineberry N. Elm Funeral Home and following the service at church.

Memorials may be sent to The Greensboro Urban Ministry, 305 W. Lee St, Greensboro, NC 27406.

On line condolences may be made at www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com.