Hazel Phipps

Anna "Hazel" Revelle Phipps, of Jamesville, died peacefully on June 17, at the Nottingham Nursing Home. Hazel was born in Watertown, NY, on October 14, 1924, to Earl Balfour and Anna Hickey Revelle. She graduated from Albany State Teacher's College and taught one year at Albany Business College. After marrying William Knapp Phipps in 1947, she taught at the Watertown School of Commerce for three years, and then worked at their church as the secretary for one year. She well remembered making copies with carbon paper, indeed a messy job. Hazel left the work force to stay at home with their four children, all born in the 1950s. Her family moved to Syracuse when Bill accepted a position with Syracuse University, and then to Youngstown, NY, in 1956. In 1962, the family, including Bill's mother, moved to Medellín, Colombia, where Bill helped establish a business college, La Escuela de Administración y Finanzas. After returning to the United States in 1964, Bill and Hazel purchased a home in DeWitt, and joined Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church. Hazel became an ordained Elder and also taught Sunday School. She served on the Board of the Cayuga Syracuse Presbytery for three years in the late 1970s. In 1998 she received an Honorary Life Membership from Presbyterian Women. Hazel was a member of the Bible and Book Club for many years and presented several research papers. She loved to read and study the Bible, and had memorized many quotations from Scripture. Hazel was also very active in Church Women United. After CWU ceased in Syracuse, she was determined to keep the annual World Day of Prayer service alive. For several years she organized services in local Churches. After moving to the Nottingham in 2007, Hazel took charge of the WDP service there. Additional volunteer work included Literacy Volunteers, the Children's Consortium, and Meals on Wheels. Playing duplicate bridge, exercising, and doing crossword puzzles were among Hazel's many pleasures, pastimes she said kept her mind active. She was also an avid reader of historical novels, and, along with her husband, a huge fan of Syracuse University football and basketball. Hazel was pre-deceased by her husband in 2009, and more recently, by her two younger brothers, William and Richard. All three have been patiently waiting for her arrival in heaven for hands of contract bridge. Hazel's survivors include her four children, Susan Phipps-Yonas (Albert Yonas), Nancy Phipps Byrne (William), William Revelle Phipps (Betsy) and Richard Revelle Phipps (Victoria), along with grandchildren, Aaron Yonas (Zemeira Singer), Rachel Phipps-Yonas (Robert Abernethy), Ben Graetz Yonas (Ilana), Hannah Phipps-Yonas (Jon McGee), Sarah Byrne-Martelli (Peter Martelli), David Roggeveen Byrne (Erica), Heather Phipps (James Tibbetts), William S. Phipps (Lily Zeng), Carley Cornelius, Catherine Phipps (Nathan Pierson), and Michael Phipps (Christina Ortuzar), 12 great grandchildren, her sister-in-law Lorraine Revelle, and many nieces and nephews. All family members want to thank the wonderful staff at the Nottingham Nursing Home for the care they provided Hazel for more than two years. A memorial service will be held at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church once it is safe for everyone to be together to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Hazel's name to Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church, 5299 Jamesville Rd. DeWitt, NY 13214, or to the Salvation Army.