Hazel Ann (Hedberg) Gurwell

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025, at 11:00 am at the Ankeny Funeral Home, 1510 West First Street, Ankeny, Iowa 50023. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 2ND, 2025 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Ankeny Funeral Home. The Burial of Ashes will be held at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines immediately following the service. A time of food and fellowship will be held following the burial at The Club Room at the Altoona Hy-Vee, 108 8th Street SW, Altoona, Iowa 50009 beginning at 1:00 pm.

Hazel Ann Gurwell was born on May 15, 1929, in Des Moines, Iowa to Matthew and Hazel Mary (Nace) Hedberg. She graduated from East High School in 1947. She met Paul Richard Gurwell in high school and the couple was united in marriage in 1948 in Des Moines, Iowa. There were two children to this union, Scott Alan Gurwell and Neil Blake Gurwell. Paul passed on March 23, 1983.

After marriage, Hazel worked for Hedberg Law Office as a legal secretary until her retirement in 2022 at the age of 93. She looked forward to working at the law office and it gave her joy in life. Hazel also enjoyed working in her yard, spending time mentoring children at Finley Elementary in Des Moines, where she was known as Grandma Hazel to the students. Paul and Hazel had a cabin at Clear Lake, Iowa and they would spend vacations there on the weekends throughout the summers. She dearly loved spending time with her family and friends.

Hazel is preceded in death by her husband, Paul Richard Gurwell; her parents, Matthew and Hazel Mary (Nace) Hedberg and her son, Scott Alan Gurwell. She is survived by her son, Neil Blake (Christy) Gurwell; daughter-in-law, Carmie Gurwell; eight grandchildren, Stacey (Norman) Cleghorn, Ryan Gurwell, Molly (Andrew) Pollard, Melody (Dan) Hutton, Erin (Shaun) Thrap, Nicholas (Crystal) Gurwell, Steven (Brianne) Bethards, and Faith Gurwell; 24 great grandchildren, and one great great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will be directed to the family and will be given to a charity of their choosing at a later date in loving memory of Hazel.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left at www.ankenyfuneralhome.com for the Gurwell family.