Hazel Edmondson Studdard

August 8, 1922 – September 5, 2025

Hazel E. Studdard, a long-time metro Atlanta resident, passed away peacefully at her home on September 5, 2025. Born on August 8, 1922, Hazel recently celebrated her 103rd birthday.

The youngest of seven children, Hazel Lee Martha Edmondson was born and grew up in Roanoke, AL into a close-knit family whom she loved dearly. A student of Roanoke City Schools (Knight Enloe Elementary, Handley Middle, and Handley High), Hazel was popular and kind to all who knew her. As a young woman, Hazel met her soon-to-be husband in Roanoke’s only movie theatre. Who could have known that the popcorn would soon turn into rice?

Kenneth and Hazel married on July 3, 1942, just months after the United States entered WWII. Soon after, Kenneth joined the US Army Air Forces while Hazel and their first-born (Kenneth Ronald “Ronnie”) kept the home fires burning back in Alabama.

In June 1944, Kenneth’s C-47 air cargo plane encountered a mechanical malfunction and crashed in the East Himalayan range of Assam Valley in Northeastern India, on the India-China border. The plane’s crew parachuted from the plane, but their whereabouts was unknown. Notified of Kenneth’s MIA status, Hazel was devastated. She and their 14-month-old son prayed for Kenneth’s safe return. After being rescued by the Chinese, Hazel and young Ronnie witnessed Kenneth walking up the street toward their residence.

Hazel and Kenneth settled into post WWII life raising a family and building careers. Daughters Peggy and Martha, born in the late 1940’s became part of the “Baby Boom” generation. The family moved several times as Kenneth advanced in his insurance management career. The last of those moves brought the Studdards to Decatur, GA in 1960, and they later purchased a home in Avondale Estates, GA. Kenneth and Hazel were active and valued members of Decatur First United Methodist Church where they held leadership and fundraising roles. The couple traveled extensively, both internationally and domestically. As UGA Dawgs’ football fans and season ticket holders, they rarely missed a game in 30 years.

Following Kenneth’s death in 1990, Hazel continued her work at Emory Healthcare, retiring as a much-loved Patient Representative in 1992. Her many roles (i.e., cake maker, store clerk, model, secretary, sales associate, paralegal, and hospital administration) were fulfilling, but none as much as that of wife and mother. Hazel settled into retirement as an active and independent widow residing at the Ridley Howard House for many years. Enjoying time with her friends and former co-workers, Hazel was taking day trips, fundraising at luncheons, playing bingo, and serving on the condo association’s Beautification Committee. Often, neighbors would drop in at dinner time just to share Hazel’s table of home-style cooking and the likes of hot cornbread, fried chicken, fresh turnip greens, fried okra, and black-eyed peas. Known for her homemade biscuits, Hazel also relished making ice box fruit cakes at Christmas time.

In 2014 at age 92, Hazel moved to Lilburn, GA to reside with her elder daughter, Peggy. Hazel dearly loved her family, friends, and Methodist faith. She will long be remembered as a die-hard UGA Dawg and Alabama Crimson Tide fan.

Hazel is survived by her three devoted children (Kenneth “Ronnie” Studdard of Cornelius, NC; Peggy Studdard Woodruff and Martha Studdard Stephens, and son-in-law Paul Stephens, all of Lilburn, GA), as well as five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great- grandchildren, and her granddog, Lottie. The grandchildren include Kim, Ken, Jason, Chad, and Allison; the great-grandchildren include Lauren, Nicholas, Jackie, Isaac, Avery, Ansley, Sidney, and Jimmy; and the great-great-grandchildren include Addison and Maverick.

Hazel was preceded in death by siblings: brothers Brewer, Bryant, Bunion, and Herman Edmondson; and sisters Bernice E. Carden and Ruth E. Ray.

A visitation for Hazel will be held Friday, September 12, 2025, from 10:00AM to 11:00AM at Floral Hills Funeral Home & Cremation, 3150 Lawrenceville Hwy in Tucker, GA 30084, followed by a funeral service from 11:00AM to 12:00PM. The private entombment will be at Floral Hills’ Chapel in the Pines. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).