Hazel Tanner

Hazel Tanner, of Groesbeck, passed away Wednesday, October 1, 2014, at Groesbeck LTC, at age 84. A MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held on Thursday, October 9, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Hazel was born on August 19, 1930 in West Carol Parish, Louisiana, to Versey Smith and Myrtle Senia (Avant) Smith, the oldest of eight children. At age 14, Hazel was united in marriage with Clinton Lavell Tanner, Sr. in Louisiana and they began their family while making their home in Louisiana. The family moved to the Houston area in 1953. Hazel was a hard working lady. In addition to raising her seven children, she worked at a boot and shoe retail store and other retail stores to support the family during periods of illness that her husband suffered after being injured during World War II. Hazel loved music, and dancing, and she was especially a fan of Ernest Tubb, and enjoyed meeting him in person. She loved her family and would “walk through fire” if needed for her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She enjoyed crochet and made many treasured gifts for her family.   She also loved singing in the choir at the First United Methodist Church in Groesbeck. Hazel lived her life “her way” and while sociable with the family, was “sassy.” She enjoyed her close relationship with brothers and sisters while living in the Houston area. She moved to Groesbeck to be near her daughter Sue and son-in-law Adam about twelve years ago. Living with them, she enjoyed being treated like the “queen,” waited on and fussed over. Her health problems became more serious, restricting her activity in the past three years, and she had resided at Groesbeck LTC for the past two years. Hazel was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Clinton L. Tanner on January 1, 1988; a sister Shirley Tubbe and brother, Samuel Smith; two of her daughters, Ann Phillips and Linda Thompson; and a son, Terry Tanner. She is survived by a son, Clinton Lavell Tanner, Jr. of Groesbeck; son and daughter-in-law, Donald Ray and Claudett Tanner of Alvin; daughter and son-in-law Wanda Sue and Adam Collett of Groesbeck; son, John Mark Tanner of Houston; twelve grandchildren; eighteen great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild due. She also leaves behind three sisters: Evelyn Nolan of Tomball, Maxine Bell of Conroe and Juli Egnatuk of Deer Park; two brothers, Buddy Smith of Porter and Henry Smith of Conroe; and many nieces and nephews.