Hazel R. Root

Hazel Root, 83, passed away on June 6, 2025, at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan Kansas, while surrounded by her family.
Born in Hardburly, Kentucky on December 8, 1941, Hazel was one of ten children born to Clifford and Virgie Carroll. She was known as a tomboy, always sporting bumps, bruises, and scrapes from her latest adventure. When she was a young girl, her family moved to Canon City, Colorado, where she graduated from high school in 1959.
She married Gale Root on July 17, 1960. They later moved to Fowler, Colorado in 1973 where they raised their four children together. She was an active member at Pitkin Avenue Baptist Church throughout their time in Fowler, playing the piano for song services and looking after the widows in the church. She and Gale frequently helped these women with projects and home maintenance and drove them to church every Sunday. She also cared tenderly and faithfully for her own mother in the Fowler nursing home for years.
Hazel worked as a secretary for the Fowler School District for nearly 20 years before retiring. She and Gale sold their farm and moved to Wamego, KS in 2009.
Anyone who knew Hazel knew that she was a magnet for children. Even after her own children were grown, she was often surrounded by kids at church and always holding a child on her lap.
Hazel's family was precious to her and spending time with them was the biggest highlight of her life. In addition to their four children, she and Gale had five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She prayed for them fervently, and her heart's desire was for each of them to know Jesus as their Savior.
Hazel enjoyed sewing, and made dresses for her young granddaughters, as well as Halloween costumes, Christmas stockings, and other crafts. In her later years she also crocheted baby blankets for expectant mothers at Life Choice Ministries, a local pregnancy resource center.
Following her move to Kansas, she was a faithful member of Manhattan Baptist Church. She loved Jesus and spoke about the Lord often to the people she met. Just weeks before her death, she shared the gospel with a healthcare worker during one of her doctor appointments. She loved to encourage the nurses, aides, and other caretakers in the hospital and at Via Christi Village, where she lived.
Hazel was preceded in death by her husband, Gale, her parents, Clifford and Virgie Carroll, four brothers, and two sisters.
She is survived by her children-Terry (Tammy) Root, Brenda (Loy) Peters, Barb (Mike) Sanderson, and Bonnie Pierce; her grandchildren-Robbie (Stephannie) DeLong, Lindsay (Brian) Mayfield, Bethany Leong, Bailey (Eric) Gessler, and Gavin Pierce; as well as nine great-grandchildren, two sisters and one brother.
The family will greet friends during a visitation will be from 6:00-7:30 pm on Monday, June 9th at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home in Manhattan.
Funeral will be at 10:00am on Tuesday, June 10th at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home followed by interment at the St. George Cemetery.
Memorial donations in memory of Hazel can be made to Life Choice Ministries. Contributions may be sent in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.