John Tilghman Hazel Jr.

Hazel

John Tilghman Hazel Jr. (Age 91)

October 29, 1930 – March 15, 2022



One of the founders of the Northern Virginia as we know it, Til (Tilghman) Hazel became Til on his first day of college) of Broad Run, Virginia died on March 15, 2022, at the age of 91. He was a well-known lawyer, developer, philanthropist and champion of education at all levels.



Til was born on October 29, 1930, the eldest son of Ruth Douglas Hazel and Dr. John T. Hazel. He grew up in Arlington, Virginia and graduated from Washington Lee High School in 1947. He graduated from Harvard College (1951) and Harvard Law School (1954) and served in the United States Army Infantry and Judge Advocate General Corps in the 1950s. He was awarded honorary degrees from The College of William & Mary, Christopher Newport University and The Virginia Community College Systems.



Til began his private law practice in Fairfax, VA in 1961, soon joined by Grayson Hanes and later Duane Beckhorn to form Hazel Beckhorn & Hanes. The firm specialized in land use, real estate, business law and litigation. Under Til's leadership, the firm grew to become one of the premier law firms in Northern Virginia, later merging with Thomas & Fiske of Alexandria and Reed Smith, a major international law firm founded in Pittsburgh, PA.



In addition to practicing law and prevailing in a number of Virginia Supreme Court cases that ended the "no growth" policies of Fairfax County, Til partnered with Milt Peterson to form the Hazel Peterson Companies, a real estate development firm that developed a dozen or more residential communities and associated community retail centers, including Burke Centre and Fairfax Station, as well as shopping centers and office buildings at Tysons Corner and Fair Lakes. Those communities and projects are testimony to Til's commitment to affordable, livable communities and office parks that make Northern Virginia such a desirable place to live and a beacon to companies all over the nation and the world who have moved to Northern Virginia to locate and grow their businesses.



Til was passionate about education at all levels. He was instrumental in transitioning George Mason University from a small four-year college in Fairfax to one of the leading research universities in the nation and the largest university in Virginia. Til served as Rector of the University during the period of its greatest growth and facilitated partnerships between the University and the business community that provided significant support to the University and real-world learning opportunities to its students. He was awarded the first Mason Gold Medal. Til was also the impetus behind the acquisition and accreditation of the George Mason Law School, now the Scalia School of Law, where John T. Hazel, Jr. Hall stands as a lasting tribute to his vision and leadership.



On the secondary school level, Til was the founding Chairman of present-day Flint Hill School, as well as Chairman of St. Stephen's School in Alexandria. He was also instrumental in the founding of Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology, a school often described as the best public school in the nation, as well as Fredericksburg Academy.



Til supported Harvard by serving on the Dean's Council of both the undergraduate college and the School of Law. In addition, he served on the Executive Committee of The Harvard Committee on University Resources and as Chairman of the Harvard College Fund '84.



Til has been recognized by his community and peers for his outstanding leadership and vision. The first was the award of the Frothingham Scholarship for the outstanding member of his college class of 1951 and numerous awards since then. He was the first Virginian to serve as President of the Washington Board of Trade (1984), was awarded the Community Leadership Award by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (1987), was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, elected to The Washington Business Hall of Fame, and the founder and chairman of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council and was a member of the Board of the University of Virginia's Miller Foundation, the Board of the National Air and Space Museum, the Corcoran Gallery and the Washington Airports Task Force.



A true Virginian for his entire lifetime, in addition to his many business, community and civil endeavors, Til raised cattle and farmed his family's land in Fauquier County, Virginia.



Til was predeceased by his first wife, Marion Virginia Engle Hazel "Jinx" and later by his second wife, Anne Barnett Merrill Hazel; as well as his brothers, William A. Hazel and Lawrence D. Hazel. He is survived by his four children, Leigh Ann Hazel-Groux (Rick); and their daughters: Rosemary and Margaret; John Tilghman Hazel, III (Michele) and their daughters: Virginia Hazel Potter (Kevin) and Alexandra Hazel Remuzzi (James); James W. Hazel (Sarah) and their children: James (Katelyn) and Emily; Richard M. Hazel (Cheryl) and their children: Caroline, William (Jenna), Lucy, Mary Rose Hazel Houston (Tyler), John and Cathryn; and his Merrill family, Randolph Searing Merrill, III (Ashley) and their daughters: Caroline Camp, Anne Alexander and Lane Barnett Merrill; and William Randle Barnett Merrill (Raquel); as well as five wonderful great-grandchildren: Alden Potter, Carter Hazel, Adeline Remuzzi, Isabella Remuzzi and Lillian Hazel. While Til was proud of his many accomplishments and the recognition that accompanied them, spending time with members of his family at his home in Fauquier County, Huntley Hall, was most precious to him.



A memorial service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, 6507 Main Street, The Plains, VA at 1 p.m. April 2, 2022.



In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that remembrances be made to The Grace Episcopal Church, The Plains, Virginia.



Online condolences may be expressed at www.moserfuneralhome.com to the obituary for John T. Hazel, Jr.