Date of Birth: April 5, 1945
Date of Death: December 8, 2018
The family of Hazel Carol Torgerson is sad to announce her passing on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 at St. Peter’s Hospital in Melville, Sask., after being recently diagnosed with cancer. She was in her 74th year.
Hazel was born in Yorkton, Sask., on April 5, 1945 to Henry and Nellie (nee Rachinski) Robertson. She completed her schooling in Yorkton, then worked as an admin support at various jobs until she met her husband, Alan Torgerson, at a dance in Springside. They married in 1965 and settled in Melville where their children, Shelley and Blair were born.
Hazel was a devoted mom, cheering from the stands at hockey or ball games, sewing dance costumes and leading or helping with Guides or Scouts. She still made time to curl regularly, go bonspieling and serve on the executive of the Melville Curling Club, the Saskatchewan Ladies Curling Association and the Melville Public Library.
She enjoyed cooking and baking, always collecting recipes or making something for a bake sale or bonspiel, or helping to cater at the curling rink.
Hazel loved gardening and flowers of every kind — in late winter she was already planning and dreaming of her garden and what she might try growing this year. She froze or preserved all her produce (or exchanged it with her friends — nothing went to waste. And when she finally did sit down, she always had her nose in a book or was knitting.
The family enjoyed camping every summer, having several adventures and making many special memories travelling throughout Canada and the the United States. Mom always took her wildflower guidebook along, and admired the different gardens everywhere. After Alan took Blair and the rest of the Scouts through the Wilderness Rendezvous program in Cypress Hills, Hazel joined Alan in volunteering with the camp and was actively involved at all levels of WR for 37 years. The Scouting community at WR became a special family to her and Alan.
They both enjoyed many good times with their friends playing cards, golfing, fishing at Jan Lake and playing more cards until all hours and walking home ‘early’ when the birds were singing.
After their children were grown, Hazel continued all she had been doing, and then volunteered even more by helping at the Thrift Shop, knitting prayer shawls, serving at teas, helping with curling playdowns and championships or baking whenever homemade sweets were needed. She was so happy to be able to spend even more time out in the yard, creatively making her garden more elaborate and even more immaculate — a horticultural dream.
Hazel lived a full life and loved her family, friends, fellow volunteers, curlers and Scouting family. She was thrilled to become a grandmother to her five grandchildren. She spoiled them with her cinnamon buns, cookies and scuffles and loved watching their various sports. Grandma was constantly entertained by their exuberance and comedy, and loved trying to out-fish them (and often did).
Hazel and her family are so very grateful for the incredibly compassionate and kind care provided by all the staff at St. Peter’s Hospital. Their loving care and the visits from so many friends made this short, but difficult time tolerable and even enjoyable for both her and her family.
Hazel was predeceased by Alan, her husband of 50 years; her parents, Henry and Nellie; her in-laws, Eric and Irene Torgerson; and sister-in-law Lois Johnson.
She leaves to cherish her memory: her daughter, Shelley (and most favourite son-in-law, David) Kehrig of Calgary, Alta.; son, Blair (and most favourite daughter-in-law, Tracey) Torgerson of Saskatoon, Sask.; grandchildren, Erin, Marina and Trent Kehrig, Ryan and Craig Torgerson; brother, Ray Robertson of Calgary, Alta.; special cousin, Diane Lemko of Quill Lake, Sask.; nieces and nephews, Grace, Clayton, Marc and Jena; as well as many close friends and relatives.
The funeral service was held on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 at First United Church with Rev. Brian Mee officiating.
Arrangements were by Bailey’s Funeral Home, Melville, Sask.
