Hazel Strickland

Hazel Strickland, affectionately known as Mama Hazel was born October 28, 1922, in Mesa Arizona to Rosa Josephine Humdy and Ben Carter Roberts. She was the fourth of five children. She is predeceased by her brother Dr. Will Roberts, her Brother Otis Roberts and her sisters Audrey Roberts and Marie Roberts. Hazel was a very active child which translated into adulthood and was still very active up to the age of 99, still driving and gardening.

Hazel came to California in 1927 with her family, where she lived in various places around Brawley until she was about 16. She and her family came to Riverside in 1939. In her early years, she loved track and field, excelling in the high jump and she played softball. She excelled in spelling in school.

Even though she never graduated high school, she always held good and interesting jobs. Her first job was as a sitter for Lt. Terrell’s daughter at March Air Force Base. When that job ended, she moved to Los Angeles for approximately three years, to live with her aunt, where she worked as a Riveter on airplanes at Hunter Douglass. Thereafter, she moved back to Riverside around 1942.

In 1941, she had a daughter, Barbara Ann Roberts Keys, whom she raised pretty much as a single parent. She married Malcom Keys but divorced later. In 1945, She took a job transporting the Officers from Union Station to Camp Anza in Arlington during debarkation at the end of World War II, as the officers returned home. When Camp Anza closed, she began working at March Air Force Base as an Aircraft Mechanic, for the next four years. Thereafter, she obtained a position at Bridgeport Brass, in Riverside, as a Machine Operator, making ammunition for about 7 years. In 1960, she married Errol Strickland, and in 1962, she had another daughter, Michelle Denise Strickland. When Michelle was about 5 years old, Hazel returned to work, getting a job at Toro making lawnmowers. She learned about a position at Alcan Aluminum (the successor of Bridgeport Brass) as an inspector, she applied, even though the prevailing attitude was that the company would only hire a male for the position. Hazel had a reputation as a hardworking individual who took pride in her work. The management decided that Hazel was qualified, and Hazel went back to work, this time as an Inspector. She worked as an Inspector for about three years, until Alcan closed its doors. Hazel then changed her course completely, taking a job at Ina Arbuckle School as an Instructional Aide. She retired from the school district in 1982 and moved to Rialto, where she resided until her passing. Hazel also spent 36 years caring for her sister Audrey, who was a deaf mute and partially blind. Hazel learned sign language to be able to communicate with her sister.

Hazel’s hobbies over the years are many and varied. She was the sole surviving member of a card club which started in about 1967, with Hazel, Jeanne Roberts, Sally Williams, Bessie Harris, Lurleen Blakely, Henrietta Ingram and Mary Clemons. Over the years, others joined as the original members passed on, but Hazel was still the only original player playing until she reached 99 years of age. She enjoyed her many trips to Las Vegas and loved to gamble. Hazel was a shopper and an elegant and stylish dresser. She loved hats and shoes.

Having a child when she was in her 40s made her extremely active. She spent a lot of time with her young daughter, teaching her to golf, bowl, play softball, volleyball, croquet and various other sporting activities. Hazel competed in a bowling league, she liked to sew, and found great satisfaction in helping her daughter, granddaughter and grandson with school projects, such as Black History month projects, drill team events and parade float making. She threw many get-togethers for friends and family, and especially liked to throw a party for St. Patrick’s Day, cooking corned beef and cabbage and making sure everyone had on something green. She enjoyed Las Vegas

Hazel was the matriarch of five generations. She is survived by her daughter Michelle Strickland and her stepdaughter Sylvia Shanklin. She was preceded in death by her husband Errol Strickland, her siblings, her daughter Barbara Keys Harper Stewart, her stepson Reginald Strickland and daughter in law, Susan Strickland, her stepson, Lonnie Harvey, (daughter in-law Karen Harvey is living) and her "adopted daughter" Beatrice Steen. She is survived by her grandchildren, Regina Strickland Haywood (Mike), Eric Strickland (Rica), Kevin Harvey, Lester Harvey, (Yolanda) Randy Shanklin, Kecia Harper, Milton Harper Jr. (Angela), and Peter Strickland. She survived by great grandchildren, Emiko Strickland, Jasyne Harvey, Brandi McAdory, Desiree Harper, Toi Harper, Ravi Harper, Tariq Harvey, Hope Ihem, William Harvey Milton ("Milty") Harper III and Samiyah Harper and five great-great grandchildren, King, Covington, Onalayiah Satcherwhite, Kenya Covington, Kassyne Covington, and Kelani Covington. She is also survived by her nephews, Robert "Bob" Roberts (Benita) and Darryl Johnson (Gayle) (nieces Sharon Richards, Linda Dickerson (Robert) Marsha Green, and Norma Richardson (Ron) and great nieces Joan Roberts, Staci Richards and Tracee Johnson and great nephews, Jeffrey Richards (Tammy), Brian Dickerson (Casey), Zaire Daniels, and a great-great nephew Braylen Dickerson and a host of family and friends.

She was greatly loved and will be sorely missed.

Hazel's Celebration of Life will be held on December 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Green Acres Memorial Park 11715 Cedar Avenue, Bloomington, California 92316. Immediately thereafter, the repast to be held at the Francis Brooks Community Center, 214 N. Palm Avenue, Rialto, CA 92376

Hazel had been diagnosed with vascular dementia. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Diane E. Watson Center for Compassionate Intervention,(DEW Foundation) which includes in its many works, a healthy brain Initiative dedicated to Alzheimer’s and Dementia informational seminars, c/o Natalie Lawless at P.O. Box 8983, Los Angeles, CA 90008.

Ms. Hazel, our Queen of Hearts was a force of nature. She was fiercely

independent, resourceful, inventive, creative and had an incredible work

ethic. She had a great sense of humor, loved to entertain and was a good

cook. When you went to her home, you would never leave hungry, unless

you chose to. As the matriarch of five generations, she believed strongly in

family. She persevered through the Depression in the 30s, World War II,

the Vietnam War, the Korean War, the Bay of Pigs, the assassinations of

Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, the

Civil Rights Movement, the voting rights movement, and the inventions

we still use today, such as computers and microwaves. She loved to shop,

had great taste in clothes, and was always well dressed.

She also drove herself around until she was 99 years old.

She made her family proud to be Black.

Hazel Sayings:

It’s my way or the highway. Children should be seen and not heard. Do as I say, not as I do. I ain’t lost nothing there (that’s any city but Las Vegas) Do not leave the house in curlers, pajamas or slippers.

Driving:

Hazel got a speeding ticket going 88 mph at 88 years old

Hazel: Officer, I could not have been going that fast.

Officer: Well, somebody has to get caught.

Hazel: He gave me that ticket because I was Black. (Could he really see her going that fast?)

Hazel: Your Honor, I could not have been going that fast. (He gave her traffic school)

Michelle: Mama, you’re supposed to go the speed limit, not your age.

Hazel driving to Barstow after missing

her birthday train to Las Vegas

Hazel: Get in (the car) shut up and hold on. (She was going 110 mph and beat the train) Her friends clapped when she got on the train.

Hazel: (To Michelle who was taking Hazel’s car back home) Don’t drive too fast.

Hazel driving her sister Audrey anywhere

Hazel: You’re fine! Audrey is holding on for dear life!

Hazel driving with her niece Sharon on the freeway

Hazel: I’m not waiting behind these cars (as she speeds up the shoulder of the freeway)

Sharon: That’s why you got a ticket

Hazel meeting with police regarding employee

who claim Hazel owed her money

Hazel: (As daughter Michelle is driving up) to Police officers: There’s my daughter, she’s an attorney, she will handle this.

Michelle: I want to go home!!

Hazel: I don’t owe that woman any money. I should kick her ass!! (in front of the police) (Hazel was 85 years old at the time.) I’ll kick her husband’s ass too!

Michelle: Mom, you can’t scrap in the front yard at 85 years old. That’s just ghetto!!

Hazel, regarding House-cleaning

Michelle’s college friend came to visit at Hazel’s house.

Hazel: Renee, vacuum the floor.

Michelle: Mama, she’s a guest!

Hazel: She can still vacuum the floor!

Michelle’s friend Mary was at Michelle’s house, helping to clean up

Hazel: Would you come to my house and clean too?

Mary: Ms. Hazel, I do not do this for a living.

Hazel on Poker

Hazel: Deal damn it Deal!!

Hazel: We can eat and play!

Hazel: I raise the bet

Hazel on Traveling

Michelle: Let’s go to Atlantic City to see Smokey Robinson.

Hazel: I ain’t lost nothing in Atlantic City.

Michelle: But there are casinos in Atlantic City.

Hazel: I’m in!

Hazel on Food

Hazel: I want a Chile Relleno

Hazel: This is my Mississippi fudge cake!

Staci: It’s mine!

Hazel: You can have a small piece.

Dickey’s Barbecue: (Michelle sent to the care facility)

Hazel: Who bought this barbecue? It has way too much starch.

Hazel: I want a Chile Relleno

Liz Mahan: Ms. Hazel, Michelle sent this to us.

Hazel: She should know better than to send food with this much starch. (With barbecue sauce around her mouth and all over her hands!)

Hazel: I want Church’s Chicken, leg and thigh, spicy.

Hazel: I want a Delia’s ham grinder.

Hazel: I’m making chitlins, pig’s feet and greens with corn pones.

Hazel: I want a Chile Relleno

Hazel on death

Anybody she knew: Hazel, you should slow down.

Hazel: I can slow down when I’m dead. Right now, I got things to do.

Hazel: I don’t want a DNR, because I want the doctors to tell me why I’ve lived so long.

Hazel: Jeannie and I will be placed next to each other so we can play poker.

Farewell to an amazing woman, who lived life her way. The memories we carry should reflect someone who was larger than life.

To those who went before her,

Look out, because here she comes.

The family of Hazel Strickland appreciates all of the cards and sympathy.

We would like to specially thank Deborah Robertson, Mayor Emeritus and the City of Rialto for celebrating Ms. Hazel’s life and her reaching her 100 year milestone.

Thank you to Liz Mahan and the staff at our Countryside Resort for the love and care that they gave to Ms. Hazel during her transition, and to Green Acres Memorial for handling our matriarch with respect and dignity.