Obituary
HAZEL MARY STEDMAN
March 30, 1943 – December 20, 2023
Born in London, England, during WWII, Hazel won a place at the University of Cambridge and became the first member of her family to go to college. At Cambridge she studied Natural Sciences, particularly Physics, Metallurgy and Crystallography and met the love of her life, Donald, also a Natural Sciences student, there. They married soon after graduation and moved to Norwich, East Anglia, where their son Kenneth was born, and then to London to complete Donald’s PhD. An opportunity to continue Donald’s studies at Kansas State University moved the family to the USA, where Roy and Ian were born. After a brief stint at Ford Motor Company, Donald moved to the University of Michigan. Hazel resumed her education and upon graduation from the School of Dentistry (DDS), took a research associate position in the department of Oral Biology, studying the development and responses of taste buds.
Sabbatical leave took the family to live in New Zealand for 6 months and led to Donald’s research solidifying around measuring automobile exhaust gases. He was then awarded an Endowed Chair at the University of Denver. This started Hazel’s occupation as a ‘trailing spouse’, assisting him around the world. This allowed some sight-seeing opportunities, but mostly experienced many freeway on-ramps while growing an extensive fruit and vegetable garden. She helped found the Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra and entertained some young, subsequently famous, musicians.
Retirement brought the opportunity of pleasure travel, including Alaska, Africa, Central America, the Galapagos, Peru, and a final trip back to England. After Donald’s passing, Hazel enjoyed her own world travels, exploring Madagascar, Borneo, India, and Crete while finding a home in Chatsworth Lake Manor. Locally, Hazel became a California State Park volunteer at the Santa Susana State Historic Park and the Sky Valley Volunteers, replanting the hills above Chatsworth with oak tree seedlings.
Later she turned to UVTO, between nature (Wildwood Park) and culture (CLU). Arriving in 2022, she enjoyed the varied and active lifestyle. In December 2023 she succumbed in Eugene, Oregon, with her son Kenneth, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter present. She willed her body to science and education.
There will be no services. She left us her gracious spirit, intelligent conversation and kindness
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When I am Among the Trees
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
by Mary Oliver
Our sincere condolences to all the family - she is in our thoughts and we shall miss her greatly as she was a wonderful correspondent over the years.
