Hazel Compton

~Visitation~
9:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Mannford Funeral Home
170 Phelps Road
Mannford, Oklahoma 74044
~Celebration of Life Funeral Service~
1:00 P.M.
Thursday, November 6, 2025
First Baptist Church Mannford
105 Greenwood Avenue
Mannford, Oklahoma 74044
Interment to Follow...
Oak Hill Cemetery
Mannford, Oklahoma
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hazel has been a faithful member of
First Baptist Church Mannford
for 71 years.
In her honor and memory,
Memorial Gifts may be given to:
First Baptist Church
P.O. Box 674
Mannford, Oklahoma 74044
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAZEL COMPTON
of Mannford, Oklahoma
AGE 98
BORN
February 23, 1927 in
Braden, OK.
ENTERED REST
November 1, 2025 in
Tulsa, OK.
PARENTS
Frank & Annie Banks
PREDECEASED BY:
PARENTS, HUSBAND J.T.
SON & DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
Gary & Jan Compton,
BROTHERS
Tommy Banks, Ray Banks & Jay Banks
SISTERS
Faye Banks & Ruby Sparks
SURVIVED BY:
SONS
Ronnie & Sherry Compton of Warr Acres, OK.
David Compton of Mannford, OK.
SISTER
Ruth & Max Payne of Los Angeles, CA.
GRANDCHILDREN
Ronnie Compton Jr. of Warr Acres, OK.
Cody & Kelly Compton of Norman, OK.
Clay & Juli Compton of Ft. Gibson, OK.
Julie & Chris Pickens of Warr Acres, OK.
GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN
Jacob, Madelyn, Carson, Riley & Raymond
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following was lovingly written by
Hazel's family....

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her
Proverbs 31:28
Hazel Banks was born in Braden, Oklahoma
on February 23, 1927 to her loving parents,
Frank Banks (1894-1964) and
Annie Terisia Person (1900-1975).
Miss Hazel married
James Thomas "JT" Compton (1924-1996)
at Gallup, New Mexico on her birthday,
February 23, 1946.
JT was the son of Samuel Pearson Compton
(1892-1969)
and Arzora Malinda Avants (1902-1979).
Hazel was one of 7 Banks' children.
After her precious older sister, Faye,
passed away tragically after falling from a wagon,
Annie's health and spirits became frail,
what with 3 more children born after Faye's passing.
This all occurred around the time of the Depression,
and crops beginning to fail in Oklahoma.
Eventually, Miss Annie was hospitalized
and the young children were tasked with
keeping up the home while their father
worked away for the Railroad.
Hazel was approximately
11-12 years old at the time …
the lady of the house!
Her older brothers, Tommy and Ray,
who was Faye's twin brother,
and little brother, Jay,
would hunt and fish and trap.
They would bring their bounty home
and Hazel would cook it up for her siblings!
Two younger sisters,
Ruby and Ruth,
rounded out the crew.
Hazel would recount how they all got
one new pair of shoes when school started.
They would outgrow them by the
time the next school year rolled around.
But that was OK since they loved
to run barefoot all summer!
Hazel is a wonderful cook …
but she is most famous for her
delightfully delicious and delectable PIES!
Perhaps she was taught that skill
by her mother's sisters,
Aunt Pansy and Aunt Toots.
About the time Hazel was 12,
she would go to her Aunt Toots' house over
by Vian for several weeks over the summer.
It was here that the Aunts taught Hazel
the finer arts of homemaking …
baking, sewing, gardening and canning.
It was also here …
that she met a neighbor boy from across the way.
He was 3 years older and in high school!
He would come over to do chores with Neely Long,
Aunt Toot's husband.
JT's mother recounted that after
JT and Hazel's first meeting,
he told his parents that he met
the girl that he was going to marry.
JT had been working and saving money
to buy a Ford motor car.
The summer JT finished high school,
he was waiting anxiously for the arrival
of Miss Hazel in the county.
However she didn't come to Vian.
After some time,
JT worked up the courage to ask the Longs
about the absence of Hazel and her sisters.
He learned that Frank had packed up his truck
and his children and had set out for California
where there was work to be had.
Well, JT didn't let any grass grow under his feet,
until he got that truck he'd been saving for
and headed out to California!
He came across the Banks family
along the road in New Mexico.
They had a tent set up near their truck.
And that's where he found Miss Hazel,
sweeping the dirt floor in the tent.
And from that day forward, they were together.
He stayed with her family, helping them
and protecting his sweetheart.
The older kids took jobs and resources were pooled.
They made it to California!
Tommy enlisted in the Navy as
WWII was in high gear.
JT was rejected because of his flat feet.
I guess that's what comes from always
wearing cowboy boots!
But he found a job with McDonald Douglass.
He worked for them for many years,
eventually transferring back to Oklahoma.
The young couple had three boys:
Ronald Gilbert (b 1947)
Gary Lynn (b1948)
Samuel David (b 1951)
They moved to Mannford and
bought a farm in the East Basin
at the foot of what would come to be known as
Compton's Hill.
This was before there was a "New Mannford"
or an "Old Mannford."
Hazel tended to her boys, her house, her garden
and a myriad of critters.
The family attended the First Baptist Church
and the boys went to school in the old town.
JT's job took the family to Oklahoma City
for a few years.
But they traveled back to the farm
as often as they could.
Hazel hadn't been able to finish high school.
So she went back to school
(when her own children were in high school)
and received her GED! She was so industrious …
working at TG&Y, going to real estate school …
taking care of her family.
She not only succeeded in her numerous endeavors.
She rocked them!
She got her Real Estate License
and then followed that up with a Broker's License.
The time came that JT was called back to Tulsa
to work so the family returned to Mannford.
The Viet Nam War was ramped up.
At one point, all three of Hazel and
JT's boys were in the ARMY.
It was indeed a trying time for them,
worrying and praying for their safety.
Hazel went to work for Hissom Memorial Center
in Sand Springs.
She took extra training to be able to
administer medications.
She got a special license so that
she could drive the children to
appointments and activities …
like the Tulsa State Fair.
She worked at Hissom for many years,
and retired from there.
With JT and Hazel both retired,
they hit the road.
They loved to travel.
The long drives to Tuscon, El Paso, California ….
visiting friends and family, antiquing,
the occasional livestock auction.
She looked forward to trips to Branson.
But, my oh my, did she ever love those grandkids!
Miss Hazel would pet on them and love on them …
and she prayed for them …
as only a Grandmother can.
She doted on them, making
their favorite meals or dishes …
that is probably why
there isn't a holiday meal
without a big old casserole
of macaroni and cheese,
a coconut cream pie and/or a
lemon meringue pie …
or two …
with 4 inches of meringue on top!
Thank you, Granny!
Hazel Banks Compton, was a fine, caring,
kind and generous woman …
a Godly woman …
a fierce friend and a loyal confidante.
She will be deeply mourned
and sorely missed by all those who knew
and loved her.
We have each been so very blessed
to have called her our friend,
our mother, our grandmother,
to have sat in the warmth of her smile
and lingered in her calm and gracious light.
She was truly a Proverbs 31:28 woman:
Her children rise up and call her blessed
Hazel was predeceased by
her husband, JT Compton (1996);
her son, Gary (2013);
Daughter-in-law, Jan (2025);
her parents Frank (1964)
and Annie Banks (1975);
her brothers: Tommy (1970);
Ray (1945);
Roy Jay (2013);
and sisters: Faye (1928)
and Ruby (2013).
Those left to mourn Hazel's passing
Sister
Ruth Payne (Max)
Sons
Ronald Gilbert (Sherry)
Samuel David
Grandchildren:
Ronald Gilbert Compton Jr
Julie Lynn Compton Pickens (Chris)
Cody Lee Compton (Kelly)
Clay Alan Compton (Juli)
Great Grandchildren:
Jacob
Madelyn
Raymond
Carson
Riley