Hazelbelle Johnson

Funeral Service:  Friday, July 12, 2013, 10:00 am at Courtland Covenant, Courtland, Kansas

Interment:  Courtland Cemetery, Courtland, Kansas

Visitation:  Thursday - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm at funeral home

Memorials:  Courtland Covenant Church

Hazelbelle (Work) Johnson, daughter of Guy H. and Mary E. (Warnock) Work, was born October 20, 1916 on a farm near Ft. Morgan, Colorado. She was baptized as an infant at the United Presbyterian Church of Ft. Morgan. The family moved to Courthouse Rock Ranch near Bridgeport, Nebraska when she was two. This ranch is now a state park. She lived there through first grade. In 1925, the family moved to Webber, Kansas where she attended grade school and high school. She was a 4-H member. At the age of twelve, she joined the United Presbyterian Church of Superior, Nebraska and was very active in youth work, helping the nursery class and teaching the junior boy's class. Hazelbelle graduated from Sterling College, Sterling, Kansas in 1942. While there, she belonged to the YWCA Life Service, Le Bon Ton, and worked in the college library and cafe. She taught school for five years; 2 years in a country school in Jewell County, a year with the lower four grades at Medora in Reno County, Kansas and 2 years in the high school at Cleburne in Riley County, Kansas. While teaching in Cleburne, Hazelbelle met Ruben Johnson. They were married in the Methodist Church in Webber, Kansas on June 26, 1945. They lived on a farm near Cleburne. Because the Tuttle Creek Lake required their farmland, they moved to Webber to farm in January of 1952. During these years, Hazelbelle belonged to the YWCA of both Cleburne and Courtland, serving as secretary and treasurer for many of these years. She was a member of the HDU in Cleburne, Webber, and Courtland and served as secretary and president of the HDU at Webber. She was active in CWA in the Covenant churches of both Cleburne and Courtland, serving as president in Cleburne and as vice president and secretary of the Courtland CWA. Hazelbelle also served as president and vice president of the Modern Maturity of Courtland and helped with the Meals on Wheels dinners for several years. She enjoyed women's bible studies, CWA rallies and retreats, teaching adult Sunday school classes for many years, and helping with Bible Schools. Hazelbelle enjoyed making Marquis Assisted Living in Concordia, Kansas as her home for the last 9 years. She went to be with her Lord when she died Sunday, July 7, 2013 while a patient at the Cloud County Health Center, Concordia at the age of 96 years. Hazelbelle was preceded in death by her parents; husband Ruben in 1991; and her brother Guy Warnock Work. She will be forever remembered by her five children: Lois (Jim) VanVeghel, Caledonia, MI, Carl (Linda) Johnson, Leavenworth, KS, Ron (Carol) Johnson, Tucson, AZ, Delbert (Pat) Johnson, Courtland, KS, and Rose (Lyle) Koerber, Aurora, KS; 13 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; brother Clyde Work, Guilford, CT. God was her only rock, salvation, stronghold, and shepherd through the years. May this Lord be your Shepherd, leading you through your life-time and may this goodness and loving kindness follow you through the days of your life that you, too, might dwell in the house of the Lord forever.