Hazel Marie Fannell

The daughter of Joe M. and Ida Daisy (Costilow) Hastings, Hazel was born on April 12, 1926, in Lukfata, Oklahoma, formerly in the Choctaw Indian Territory. She was a proud member of the Choctaw tribe and her degree of Indian blood seemed to increase given the proximity to her home town. She graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1944 before catching a ride with a local bootlegger to the big city. Hazel was passionate and spontaneous with an adventurous spirit. She loved to laugh, paint and write, watch birds and most of all, tell stories… hundreds of them. She had a great story for everything she had ever done, whether it was traveling to the Black Mesa as a “birder” with the local Audubon society, traveling to Santa Fe for a painting seminar, working for the Cleveland Indians (when she knew nothing about baseball) or winning big at the slots at Harrah’s. When not raising children (and the stories that went with that) she spent many years of her life in banking and real estate. She began her banking career at the First National Bank in downtown Oklahoma City where she met her husband.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, Jim Mack Hastings and Charles Gaffney Hastings; and her sister, Ida Jeannette (Hastings) Bramblet.

She leaves to cherish her life, Louis, her husband of sixty nine years. She snagged him right off the boat from China after World War II, and they were married six months later. She is also survived by her four children, Steven Fannell and his partner Patrice Wallace; Jane Nester and her husband James; John Fannell and his wife Sandy; Jeanie Fannell and her life partner Ruby Ivie; seven grandchildren, John Paul Stevens and his wife Toni; Gene House and his wife Sara; David House and his wife Tina; Daniel House, Taylor Fannell, Dr. Matthew Fannell and his wife Lindsay; and Lacy Fannell and her partner William Maxwell, as well as six great-grandchildren, long-time friend Roy-Helen Naboulsi, her favorite cousin Pete Costilow, and many other beloved nephews, nieces, friends and relatives. She was deeply touched by the outpouring of their love in her last weeks. Our entire family also wants to thank our wonderful caregivers for their kind devotion.

Visitation will be at the funeral home Sunday-Tuesday, July 11-14, 8 am-8 pm with the service at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Chapel on Wednesday, July 15, 2015, at 1 pm and interment in Rose Hill Burial Park.