TOPSHAM — Hazel Nelson Magaziner, born May 3, 1927 in Milford, Massachusetts, formerly the “Queen of the Snowball Festival" at Norwich Academy in 1948, quietly passed away on June 27, 2020.

For the past eight years she had maintained a residence at the Highlands in Topsham, Maine, where she made friends with the other residents and staff, who enjoyed her smile and quick wit. She and her family were extremely grateful for the care and concern shown by The Highlands, Aging Excellence staff and CHANS Hospice. They clearly went above and beyond, even during a pandemic, to ensure her quality of life.

Hazel graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College and after having her five children, went on to earn her M.Ed from Temple University.

Her employment history consisted of working as a staff psychologist at Norristown State Hospital, a research consultant with National Analysts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a research associate with the Philadelphia Geriatric Center. She eventually retired from Perry Point VA Medical Center’s Psychology Dept. in Maryland where she had worked as a vocational counselor.

She later moved to Vacationland in 1992 and became actively involved in volunteering by teaching English to refugees at the Portland Maine Education Center. Hazel was well-traveled and adventuresome. White-water rafting down the Gardener River in Missoula, Montana, or flying in a helicopter over a volcano in Hawaii, driving a backhoe at her niece's ground-breaking for a new house she was having built in Maui, or taking a cruise down the Rhine, staying in elderhostels and visiting Branson, Michigan were just a few of her efforts to make her world exciting and entertaining.

In her free time, Hazel enjoyed baking and passed on an appreciation for homemade pie crust to her granddaughters. In fact, she considered it a sin to use store-bought pie crust so her pies were notoriously exceptional and on high demand. She was also a skilled and talented knitter and quilter, and spent the majority of her time creating special things for her family which are now prized possessions and treasures.

She was known by many for her humor and friendly nature. Hazel was “multi-layered”, inquisitive, very curious and well-read. Her sharp intellect often set the stage for interesting conversations. Hazel modeled strength, resolve and resilience.

She was preceded in death by her parents Elmer and Mildred Nelson, husband Dan Magaziner, her son Tom FitzGerald, her son-in-law, Doug Barnett, her sister Millie Nelson, and her nephews Tim and Richard Bush.

She is survived by four of her children, Lee Logan (Tracy) of Denver, Colorado; Amy Barnett of Tenants Harbor, Maine; Mark FitzGerald (Robin) of Milton, Massachusetts; and Jill FitzGerald (Kelly) of Richmond, Virgina; Three step-children- Ellen Masterson (Mark) of Portland, Oregon; Danny Magaziner (Pam) of Ivyland, Pennsylvania and Liz Smith (Rob) of Severna Park, Maryland; her nieces Paula Fagerholm (Jeff) of Lopez Island, Washington and Pat Scadding (Marlborough, New Hampshire) and nephew Peter Bush (Ellen) of Concord, Massachusetts; 14 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that anyone who wishes to honor Hazel’s memory make a donation to: Knox County Health Clinic, 22 White Street #201, Rockland, ME 04841.

“One loses everything when one loses one’s sense of humor.” Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead