Hazel Baker Tudor

Tudor was born April 3, 1919, on a family farm near Lawton, North Dakota, the youngest of three sisters born to Albert T. Baker and Gurine Loken Baker, both natives of Minnesota. Her father grew wheat on 2000 acres of prairie which started as a single section of homestead. Albert Baker died when Hazel was two years old, and her mother followed in death six years later. The three “Baker sisters,” as they were known, were raised in her mother’s hometown, Zumbrota, MN, by a spinster aunt, Agatha Loken.

The young Hazel was blessed with a beautiful voice. When she was as young as seven, Hazel sang solo before the congregation of Lands Lutheran Church in Zumbrota. Her musical gifts were recognized during her freshman year at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, when she auditioned for F. Melius Christiansen, a pioneer of a cappella music in the United States. She was accepted into the renowned St. Olaf Choir, which toured nationally at each Christmas break. For over 30 years, she was also a soprano voice in the choir at Nashville’s Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Hazel was also an accomplished figure skater. In her late teen years, she participated in the amateur competitions of her home state. On a good day, it’s said she could jump over four barrels on her ice skates.

Tudor received a B.A. from St. Olaf and continued her education at Case Western Reserve University where she earned a Master’s degree in Medical Social Work. She began her career as a caseworker at the Children’s Hospital of the University of Iowa. Often, her job was finding care for the children of parents who were victims of long term illness.

Hazel moved to Nashville with her family in 1951. She continued her commitment to children’s welfare by serving on the Board of the Monroe Harding Children’s Home and the Residence for Young Women. She also served on the Board of the Davidson County Mental Health Association, volunteered at the Florence Crittenden Home and served as president of the Davidson County Medical Auxiliary. Hazel was also an elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church, and was actively involved in several church ministries.

She was a member of Centennial Club and the Lynwood Garden Club. Hazel loved antiques and fine homes. For a time, she worked as a Realtor. She was also employed at Pembroke Antiques on Harding Road. In addition, she wrote and self-published a memoir of her childhood in Zumbrota. Borrowing from Garrison Keillor’s radio show, Prairie Home Companion, she entitled the book, “Growing Up Three Hollers from Lake Woebegon.”

“Since no one in Nashville had ever heard of Zumbrota, Minnesota, I would tell them it was three hollers from Lake Woebegone,” she used to explain. “Then they understood.” The book remains available on Amazon.com.

Hazel was always grateful for the love of a big family and the attention of a small town. Her mother was one of nine children. As the grandchild of Norwegian immigrants, Hazel was raised with the folklore and culture of that heritage, including fiery candles on the Christmas tree.

Preceding her in death are two sisters, Almyra Baker and Ordelia Jarvinen, both of Zumbrota, MN.

She is survived by two daughters, Mary Gurine Tudor of Browns Point, WA, and Elizabeth Ann Trabue (Nelson Trabue, Jr.) of Ashland City, TN, and a son, John Milton Tudor, III, of Nashville, two grandchildren, Adam Claude Tudor of Bowling Green, KY (Martha Sampson Tudor), and Audra Grace Mikel (Charles Mikel) of Marrieta, GA, and a great grandson, Issac Mikel, also of Marrieta.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 this Friday at Westminster Presbyterian Church. A visitation will take place at the church from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Westminster Presbyterian Church for a musical scholarship, the Monroe Harding Children’s Home or the charity of one’s choice.

Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Dunklin Bowman, Jr., Dr. Fred Cowden, J.M. Crumpler, Matt Dobson, Ed Graham, Jr. and the Good Sams Sunday School Class of Westminster.