Karen "Susie" Hazel

Karen Sue "Susie" Hazel (née Davis), age 70, of Wappapello, MO, passed away peacefully on July 4, 2023, at her residence, surrounded by her loving family. Karen "Susie" was born September 24, 1952, in Poplar Bluff, MO, daughter of the late John Robert Davis and Viva Lee Davis (née Phillips).
She attended school in Puxico and was a 1970 graduate of Puxico High School. She also graduated from Three Rivers Community College with an associate's degree and Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. On May 1, 1971, she was united in marriage to Robert Lee Hazel at Puxico United Methodist Church. He survives of the home. Karen "Susie" was the librarian at Puxico R-VIII and the junior high and high school volleyball coach for 28 years. Coach Hazel also coached the girls softball team and was the high school cheerleading sponsor. She drove the school bus when needed to her volleyball games and tournaments. Coach Hazel kept the Puxico basketball scorebook for the entire time she worked at Puxico. She attended all of her son, Shawn Hazel's, high school basketball games and even kept the scorebook 2 years after she retired. Coach Hazel taught physical education, coached volleyball, softball and sponsored the cheerleaders at Bloomfield High School for 3 years prior to going to Puxico. She also served on the Wappapello Civic Center Board for several years.
Karen "Susie" loved volleyball, her family and spending time outdoors on the lake. She shared her love of volleyball with many young ladies who attended Puxico High School, her nieces, nephews, grandsons, and their friends. She was always willing to share tips on how to hit an ace serve. Coach Hazel/Grandma was very competitive and did not like to lose. If you know Coach Hazel, you know her voice and you can hear her across any gym. She always told her players (her girls) and her grandsons "be tough believe in yourself." She was an independent, strong, beautiful woman. She could do anything she put her mind to. She enjoyed baking, bowling and spending time with friends. She loved being on the lake on her pontoon, boating with family and friends and pulling her grandsons around Lake Wappapello on the tube. She spent many summer days swimming, floating and camping. When Karen wasn't coaching, she enjoyed spending time with her family. She loved going to her grandson's soccer and basketball games. When the grandkids asked if their cousins or friends could come down to the lake, her answer was always, "Well, yes!" She was always willing to share her "little piece of heaven" with anyone.
In addition to her spouse of 52 years, Karen "Susie" is survived by one son: Shawn (Lisa) Hazel, and her 2 grandchildren: Dylan and Logan Hazel, all of St. Charles, MO; one stepdaughter: Traci Hazel of Hazelwood, MO; two sisters: Barbara Montgomery of Slick, OK, and Kathy (Carl) Nicholson of Van Buren, MO; one brother: John R. "Buddy" (Barb) Davis of Cape Girardeau, MO; one sister-in-law: Linda Mills of Wappapello, MO; 13 nieces and nephews; 6 great nieces and a grand niece and nephew. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a stepson: Byron Hazel.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Wappapello Civic Center in Wappapello, MO, at 2:00 PM on Sunday, July 9, 2023. Interment will follow at 4 PM at the Wappapello Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Jude's Hospital, The American Heart Association or the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital. Arrangements are under the direction of White Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk, MO. Condolences: www.whitesandersfuneralhome.com
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