Hazelbelle Richards

She was born on June 22, 1930 in Springfield, the daughter of the late Alonzo E. and May (Davis) Burke. She married Wesley L. Miller in September of 1950 and he preceded her in death in October of 1967. She later married John J. Richards in September of 1972 and he preceded her in death in July of 2000.

Mrs. Richards was a homemaker and a member of Southern View Chapel in Springfield. Hazelbelle ws one of five children; next to the youngest, and they all had bright red hair. She and her sister Marilyn both played the violin in the orchestra at Springfield High School. She also played the piano and sang in church choirs of many of the churches she attended. She was the last surviving sibling.

In September of 1950 she married Wesley Miller, a farmer. They set up housekeeping on a farm near Waverly. He was drafted into the Army, so she moved back to Springfield and was a governess for a family there until his return. (She said she loved waking up the children in the mornings; they were so sweet and loving, she couldn’t understand why their mother would not want that task!). Wesley and Hazelbelle had 4 daughters while living in Waverly; Connie Gaye, Peggy Lee, Bonnie Maye, and Deborah Sue. They lost Peggy at the age of 9 months in an automobile accident that hospitalized them as well. In 1959 they bought a farm and moved to Madison, Missouri, where they had another daughter, Jacqueline Anne. They lived there until his death in an automobile accident in 1967. Mom had lots of “pictures in her head” of that time on the farm; girls walking hand in hand with their dad up the driveway to the house, laughing, with Mom looking out the kitched window. Herds of red and white Hereford cattle in the bright green spring grass. She was a farmer’s wife in every way. She even learned to ride horses. Wesley had a black horse named “Coallie” (she was black as coal); and she had a palomino foal that we named “Sandy”. Sandy was mom’s horse; and she was very proud of her. Dad on his black horse and Mom on her palomino were one of my favorite “pictures in my head”. They liked to travel and took us on many “road trips”. (They usually involved a rodeo.) Wesley and Hazelbelle even went to Canada on a fishing trip with friends (no kids!!).

After Wesley’s death in 1967 Hazelbelle moved her family to Divernon, Illinois to be closer to her siblings. She met and married John Richards in September of 1972. After a few years, they moved to Springfield, where they lived until his death in 2000.

She always enjoyed traveling and has been from the East Coast to Hawaii, Canada to Florida; and many places in between. She was even brave enough to take a 6 week old baby on a month-long trip out west that involved “Cheyenne Days” rodeo, and Yellowstone National Park; in an unheated cabin which was bitter cold! She had lots of other adventures and family stories, but there just isn’t room for them all! She was very proud of her daughters and grandchildren; and now she has great-grandchildren as well.

She is survived by her 4 daughters, Connie Gaye (husband Jan) Brown of Springfield, Bonnie (husband Dave) Boswell of Virden, IL, Deborah (husband Larry) Belford of Divernon, IL, and Jacqueline (husband Mike) Whitehead of Mt. Auburn, IL, 9 grandchildren, Katrina (husband Scott) Hutmacher of Glenarm, IL, Valerie Brown of Collinsville, IL, Nathaniel Miller of Springfield, Carrie (husband Derek) Tomso of Springfield, Chris (wife Tina) Belford of Auburn, IL, Justin Belford of Divernon, IL, Christopher Estes of Springfield, Ashley Estes of Waverly, IL, and Savannah Estes of Timpson, TX, 2 step-grandchildren, John Richards and Beth Ann Richards, both of Louisville, KY, 8 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents and both of her husbands, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Peggy Lee Miller, 2 brothers, and 2 sisters.

Services are under the direction of Bisch Funeral Home West, 2931 S. Koke Mill Rd., Springfield where visitation will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2011 from 9:30 am until time of the funeral service at 10:30 am. Rev. Rick Irwin will officiate. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park, Springfield.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.