Hazel is the daughter of Russian immigrant parents John Fred Poppin (1872-1967) and Hazel Nicholas Seminoff (1887-1968). Her parents had eight children: John, Alice, James, Nell, Mary, George, Hazel, Dorothy.
She married Jack Gray Thompson on 19 May 1944 in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, LA. They have three daughters, Diana, Paula, and Myrna.
DEATH CERTIFICATE TRANSCRIPTION
Hazel Thompson born AZ
DOB October 30, 1920
DOD March 31, 1987
Father John Poppin born Russia
Mother Hazel Seminoff born Russia
Spouse Jack Thompson
Informant Jack Thompson
Burial Los Gatos Memorial
Place of death residence
Cause of death cardiovascular collapse, metastatic ovarian cancer
Occupation Electronics Inspector Lockheed Missiles and Space
- - - - - - - - -
Biographical Sketch written by George John Poppin, brother of John Poppin. Written April 2000 in San Francisco, CA
- Hazel Ivanovna Poppin -
My sister Hazel was two years younger than I. She was about five foot seven inches tall and 135ish in weight and a very pretty young lady. I can see her butterball face with blonde hair swirling around in the wind as she passed me by riding "bareback" on her horse on our way from herding turkeys in the wheat stubble fields of the "old Fuller Ranch" in the mid 1920's. She had "guts" and was not far behind me performing ordinary household and farming chores. I visualize her beaming face....most of the time in smiles and listening intently as we "almost became the Young Tom Edison's Of The Year".
It was about 1927-28 when Sis Hazel and I discovered that voice vibrations traveled through copper wire connected to earphone-like tin cans. We removed the copper wire, which was wrapped around an iron core from a Model "T" Ford's electricity coil. We extended the copper wire to resemble a very small telephone line. On each end of the wire we connected tin cans to form an earphone -microphone. I would talk into the tin can on one end of the line as Sis Hazel listened with the tin can to her ear at the other end of the taut copper wire. Yes, we could distinguish vocal sounds like "hello" or "how are you" and we were utterly amazed that we heard each speaking over the copper wire. There was my first introduction into the field of communications. I became an avid inquirer into anything that resembled electrical communication. Little did I know that I would become a Technical Monitor for six world short-wave radio broadcasters in the distant future.
Of course, Hazel attended the same one room grammar schools as I. We carried our books home for homework, did the familial chores like milking cows, slinging manure out of the barn windows and wheelbarrowing the future compost to nearby manure piles. We had our shouting contests but they never lasted very long. Neither of us claimed to be the winner of those bouts...We remained friendly throughout our entire lives and that friendship lasted while we raised our own families.
Sis Hazel met Jack Thompson while I was away serving my country in the military forces. He was a bombardier and served distinguishably in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. On one occasion when Jack and I were stationed stateside he and sister Hazel visited me when I was stationed at Camp Rucker near Ozark, Alabama. It was quite a surprise to meet my new brother-in-law who looked pretty sharp in the uniform of a US Army Air Force bombardier...I believe that he was a 1st Lieutenant at the time and was stationed in Louisiana. (Note that the US Army Air Force was later called US Air Force, which it is today)
Eventually, Hazel and Jack settled in Saratoga,CA and raised three very nice looking daughters, Diana, Paula, and Myrna. They had a dog named Queen as I recall. Sis Hazel would be quite frank as we spoke on the telephone. She had developed cancer of the uterus from taking the Premarin hormone for years during menopause. "Why me, Gee?" , she would ask." Why did the pharmacy companies discover that Premarin was the cause of my cancer for I had been taking it upon the advice of my doctor ?" That had to be one of medicine's biggest mistakes ever and we were so very sorry for my dear sister Hazel. She got the short end of the deal in that case.
Not long afterwards Hazel went on to see her Maker. A brief ceremony was held at the multi-tiered above ground grave in Saratoga, CA. Husband Jack and the three daughters, Dottie and I and sister Alice bade our sad farewell to Hazel. I read a psalm out of the bible and tearfully bid her farewell. Sis Hazel, I will always remember you.
- - - - - - - - -
Letter typed May 8, 1986 from George Poppin to his sister Hazel Thompson
Dear Sis Haze,
I was so proud to hear that Myrna was receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from San Jose State. For some reason I was under the impression that she was attending a Community College. She deserves an Academy award for hanging in there and getting the degree. Good for her!!
Things are moving right along with Dottie and I. The children are well and so are we. I heard from brother Jim a few days ago and he told me that Pete Semenoff, Dyad Vasili's son who lives near the Molokan Church, had "pomenki" for his mother (or both parents, I forgot) last Sunday. Jim was going to be in charge of preparing the food and the cooks and waiters who were to have a snack after the memorial feast. He was going to cut the cheese and select the other items for the snack. He usually does a very good job and enjoys working with the kitchen staff at the church. Estelle is OK but her sister Dot ran into some physical difficulties. It was necessary to remove more of her leg due to an infection from the previous removal, that is, the leg around the knee was removed but an infection set in so that it was necessary to perform the second operation. She is at a rehabilitation center for a few days and should be home shortly. Sad case but she does have daughters in Santa Rosa who can drop by as needed.
Mac and I go to lunch every week and I talk with him on a a daily basis via the telephone. Tonight I am attending a St. Ignatious College Preparatory School function. Brother John's son John J. has a son, John Luke, who attends the local high school and they are having a Father-Son Night today. Nephew John asked me to come and I am happy to go along for I know that brother John would have been so proud of his son's accomplishments. To think that brother John's grandson is already in high school!! Wow, how time flies. I guess you know that nephew John, the attorney, owns the building which has his office on Sansome Street. They recently purchased a home not too far from Polytechnic High and UC Hospital, an old house built in 1910, but they plan to remodel the whole house to suit their taste. Beats plunking out so many thousands for a pile of new junk.
I've got the program for our Consulting Rosarians conference (as well as the members of our twenty rose societies in our Northern CA-Hawaii-Nevada District of the American Rose Society) pretty well wrapped up. Will have three speakers on a panel, etc. and the Conference will be held in Fresno September 26-28. Dottie and I will be there, of course. We have been taking in rose shows and are going to Reno next Tuesday to pay our dues. Our Sheltie, Dolly, is fourteen and a half years of age but is still bouncy and lovable, sable and looks like a small 'Lassie'. That's about it for the time being, Sis. Dottie and Mac send their best. A big hello to Jack and the family. Write when you fee well enough to correspond. Take care. Paklon.
- - - - - - - - -
----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy Posey
To: Tom Poppin ; Joan ; George Poppin ; Dottie Poppin
Cc: Myrna Thompson
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2000 5:22 PM
Subject: Aunt Hazel
Dad...Just went though a storage box that has a lot of old letters from you and Mom. What I was hoping to find was a card that Aunt Hazel had written to me on November 20, 1986. It was there. I knew I had saved it. She died the next year, March 1987. Here is what it says.
The card says Hello There! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello Nancy & family:
You made my day when I received your nice card. "A big thank you"--
You sound like a busy Mama and I guess that's what makes the world go round. I'm not through with my radiation treatment--had 12. Now my blood count is too low for more. It has been almost 3 months. I feel tired all the time. Correction, it is Myrna, our third girl that got her BA degree. She's still striving for better promotions at Lockheed where I worked in Sunnyvale. I decided to retire by force 10/1/1986. Heard from your dad a short note 3 weeks ago. All is well. Sorry I'm late in acknowledging but writing is my poor habit. I prefer they telephone. Trusting your family is OK. Diana is still with the phone company in San Ramon. Paula at National Semiconductor in Sunnyvale (I couldn't read how to spell Paula's company). Myrna at Lockheed in Sunnyvale. Keep in touch. Jack's sister used to live on 27527 SE 117th Ave in Kent WA. Her daughter is still in Kent. Don't know where (a side note says Jack's sister became widowed and lives in Florida now). Signed Aunt Hazel (I sound ancient) P.S. Write when you can; love to hear from you.
Myrna (Hazel's daughter), I had written to your mother after I had found out she was ill. The card she sent was the only one I had ever received and it was very special. The letter she wrote was very simple and not chatty. I wanted you to know I had kept it because she meant so much to me. I loved her and I miss her.
She married Jack Gray Thompson on 19 May 1944 in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, LA. They have three daughters, Diana, Paula, and Myrna.
DEATH CERTIFICATE TRANSCRIPTION
Hazel Thompson born AZ
DOB October 30, 1920
DOD March 31, 1987
Father John Poppin born Russia
Mother Hazel Seminoff born Russia
Spouse Jack Thompson
Informant Jack Thompson
Burial Los Gatos Memorial
Place of death residence
Cause of death cardiovascular collapse, metastatic ovarian cancer
Occupation Electronics Inspector Lockheed Missiles and Space
- - - - - - - - -
Biographical Sketch written by George John Poppin, brother of John Poppin. Written April 2000 in San Francisco, CA
- Hazel Ivanovna Poppin -
My sister Hazel was two years younger than I. She was about five foot seven inches tall and 135ish in weight and a very pretty young lady. I can see her butterball face with blonde hair swirling around in the wind as she passed me by riding "bareback" on her horse on our way from herding turkeys in the wheat stubble fields of the "old Fuller Ranch" in the mid 1920's. She had "guts" and was not far behind me performing ordinary household and farming chores. I visualize her beaming face....most of the time in smiles and listening intently as we "almost became the Young Tom Edison's Of The Year".
It was about 1927-28 when Sis Hazel and I discovered that voice vibrations traveled through copper wire connected to earphone-like tin cans. We removed the copper wire, which was wrapped around an iron core from a Model "T" Ford's electricity coil. We extended the copper wire to resemble a very small telephone line. On each end of the wire we connected tin cans to form an earphone -microphone. I would talk into the tin can on one end of the line as Sis Hazel listened with the tin can to her ear at the other end of the taut copper wire. Yes, we could distinguish vocal sounds like "hello" or "how are you" and we were utterly amazed that we heard each speaking over the copper wire. There was my first introduction into the field of communications. I became an avid inquirer into anything that resembled electrical communication. Little did I know that I would become a Technical Monitor for six world short-wave radio broadcasters in the distant future.
Of course, Hazel attended the same one room grammar schools as I. We carried our books home for homework, did the familial chores like milking cows, slinging manure out of the barn windows and wheelbarrowing the future compost to nearby manure piles. We had our shouting contests but they never lasted very long. Neither of us claimed to be the winner of those bouts...We remained friendly throughout our entire lives and that friendship lasted while we raised our own families.
Sis Hazel met Jack Thompson while I was away serving my country in the military forces. He was a bombardier and served distinguishably in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. On one occasion when Jack and I were stationed stateside he and sister Hazel visited me when I was stationed at Camp Rucker near Ozark, Alabama. It was quite a surprise to meet my new brother-in-law who looked pretty sharp in the uniform of a US Army Air Force bombardier...I believe that he was a 1st Lieutenant at the time and was stationed in Louisiana. (Note that the US Army Air Force was later called US Air Force, which it is today)
Eventually, Hazel and Jack settled in Saratoga,CA and raised three very nice looking daughters, Diana, Paula, and Myrna. They had a dog named Queen as I recall. Sis Hazel would be quite frank as we spoke on the telephone. She had developed cancer of the uterus from taking the Premarin hormone for years during menopause. "Why me, Gee?" , she would ask." Why did the pharmacy companies discover that Premarin was the cause of my cancer for I had been taking it upon the advice of my doctor ?" That had to be one of medicine's biggest mistakes ever and we were so very sorry for my dear sister Hazel. She got the short end of the deal in that case.
Not long afterwards Hazel went on to see her Maker. A brief ceremony was held at the multi-tiered above ground grave in Saratoga, CA. Husband Jack and the three daughters, Dottie and I and sister Alice bade our sad farewell to Hazel. I read a psalm out of the bible and tearfully bid her farewell. Sis Hazel, I will always remember you.
- - - - - - - - -
Letter typed May 8, 1986 from George Poppin to his sister Hazel Thompson
Dear Sis Haze,
I was so proud to hear that Myrna was receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from San Jose State. For some reason I was under the impression that she was attending a Community College. She deserves an Academy award for hanging in there and getting the degree. Good for her!!
Things are moving right along with Dottie and I. The children are well and so are we. I heard from brother Jim a few days ago and he told me that Pete Semenoff, Dyad Vasili's son who lives near the Molokan Church, had "pomenki" for his mother (or both parents, I forgot) last Sunday. Jim was going to be in charge of preparing the food and the cooks and waiters who were to have a snack after the memorial feast. He was going to cut the cheese and select the other items for the snack. He usually does a very good job and enjoys working with the kitchen staff at the church. Estelle is OK but her sister Dot ran into some physical difficulties. It was necessary to remove more of her leg due to an infection from the previous removal, that is, the leg around the knee was removed but an infection set in so that it was necessary to perform the second operation. She is at a rehabilitation center for a few days and should be home shortly. Sad case but she does have daughters in Santa Rosa who can drop by as needed.
Mac and I go to lunch every week and I talk with him on a a daily basis via the telephone. Tonight I am attending a St. Ignatious College Preparatory School function. Brother John's son John J. has a son, John Luke, who attends the local high school and they are having a Father-Son Night today. Nephew John asked me to come and I am happy to go along for I know that brother John would have been so proud of his son's accomplishments. To think that brother John's grandson is already in high school!! Wow, how time flies. I guess you know that nephew John, the attorney, owns the building which has his office on Sansome Street. They recently purchased a home not too far from Polytechnic High and UC Hospital, an old house built in 1910, but they plan to remodel the whole house to suit their taste. Beats plunking out so many thousands for a pile of new junk.
I've got the program for our Consulting Rosarians conference (as well as the members of our twenty rose societies in our Northern CA-Hawaii-Nevada District of the American Rose Society) pretty well wrapped up. Will have three speakers on a panel, etc. and the Conference will be held in Fresno September 26-28. Dottie and I will be there, of course. We have been taking in rose shows and are going to Reno next Tuesday to pay our dues. Our Sheltie, Dolly, is fourteen and a half years of age but is still bouncy and lovable, sable and looks like a small 'Lassie'. That's about it for the time being, Sis. Dottie and Mac send their best. A big hello to Jack and the family. Write when you fee well enough to correspond. Take care. Paklon.
- - - - - - - - -
----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy Posey
To: Tom Poppin ; Joan ; George Poppin ; Dottie Poppin
Cc: Myrna Thompson
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2000 5:22 PM
Subject: Aunt Hazel
Dad...Just went though a storage box that has a lot of old letters from you and Mom. What I was hoping to find was a card that Aunt Hazel had written to me on November 20, 1986. It was there. I knew I had saved it. She died the next year, March 1987. Here is what it says.
The card says Hello There! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello Nancy & family:
You made my day when I received your nice card. "A big thank you"--
You sound like a busy Mama and I guess that's what makes the world go round. I'm not through with my radiation treatment--had 12. Now my blood count is too low for more. It has been almost 3 months. I feel tired all the time. Correction, it is Myrna, our third girl that got her BA degree. She's still striving for better promotions at Lockheed where I worked in Sunnyvale. I decided to retire by force 10/1/1986. Heard from your dad a short note 3 weeks ago. All is well. Sorry I'm late in acknowledging but writing is my poor habit. I prefer they telephone. Trusting your family is OK. Diana is still with the phone company in San Ramon. Paula at National Semiconductor in Sunnyvale (I couldn't read how to spell Paula's company). Myrna at Lockheed in Sunnyvale. Keep in touch. Jack's sister used to live on 27527 SE 117th Ave in Kent WA. Her daughter is still in Kent. Don't know where (a side note says Jack's sister became widowed and lives in Florida now). Signed Aunt Hazel (I sound ancient) P.S. Write when you can; love to hear from you.
Myrna (Hazel's daughter), I had written to your mother after I had found out she was ill. The card she sent was the only one I had ever received and it was very special. The letter she wrote was very simple and not chatty. I wanted you to know I had kept it because she meant so much to me. I loved her and I miss her.
Hazel is the daughter of Russian immigrant parents John Fred Poppin (1872-1967) and Hazel Nicholas Seminoff (1887-1968). Her parents had eight children: John, Alice, James, Nell, Mary, George, Hazel, Dorothy.
She married Jack Gray Thompson on 19 May 1944 in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, LA. They have three daughters, Diana, Paula, and Myrna.
DEATH CERTIFICATE TRANSCRIPTION
Hazel Thompson born AZ
DOB October 30, 1920
DOD March 31, 1987
Father John Poppin born Russia
Mother Hazel Seminoff born Russia
Spouse Jack Thompson
Informant Jack Thompson
Burial Los Gatos Memorial
Place of death residence
Cause of death cardiovascular collapse, metastatic ovarian cancer
Occupation Electronics Inspector Lockheed Missiles and Space
- - - - - - - - -
Biographical Sketch written by George John Poppin, brother of John Poppin. Written April 2000 in San Francisco, CA
- Hazel Ivanovna Poppin -
My sister Hazel was two years younger than I. She was about five foot seven inches tall and 135ish in weight and a very pretty young lady. I can see her butterball face with blonde hair swirling around in the wind as she passed me by riding "bareback" on her horse on our way from herding turkeys in the wheat stubble fields of the "old Fuller Ranch" in the mid 1920's. She had "guts" and was not far behind me performing ordinary household and farming chores. I visualize her beaming face....most of the time in smiles and listening intently as we "almost became the Young Tom Edison's Of The Year".
It was about 1927-28 when Sis Hazel and I discovered that voice vibrations traveled through copper wire connected to earphone-like tin cans. We removed the copper wire, which was wrapped around an iron core from a Model "T" Ford's electricity coil. We extended the copper wire to resemble a very small telephone line. On each end of the wire we connected tin cans to form an earphone -microphone. I would talk into the tin can on one end of the line as Sis Hazel listened with the tin can to her ear at the other end of the taut copper wire. Yes, we could distinguish vocal sounds like "hello" or "how are you" and we were utterly amazed that we heard each speaking over the copper wire. There was my first introduction into the field of communications. I became an avid inquirer into anything that resembled electrical communication. Little did I know that I would become a Technical Monitor for six world short-wave radio broadcasters in the distant future.
Of course, Hazel attended the same one room grammar schools as I. We carried our books home for homework, did the familial chores like milking cows, slinging manure out of the barn windows and wheelbarrowing the future compost to nearby manure piles. We had our shouting contests but they never lasted very long. Neither of us claimed to be the winner of those bouts...We remained friendly throughout our entire lives and that friendship lasted while we raised our own families.
Sis Hazel met Jack Thompson while I was away serving my country in the military forces. He was a bombardier and served distinguishably in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. On one occasion when Jack and I were stationed stateside he and sister Hazel visited me when I was stationed at Camp Rucker near Ozark, Alabama. It was quite a surprise to meet my new brother-in-law who looked pretty sharp in the uniform of a US Army Air Force bombardier...I believe that he was a 1st Lieutenant at the time and was stationed in Louisiana. (Note that the US Army Air Force was later called US Air Force, which it is today)
Eventually, Hazel and Jack settled in Saratoga,CA and raised three very nice looking daughters, Diana, Paula, and Myrna. They had a dog named Queen as I recall. Sis Hazel would be quite frank as we spoke on the telephone. She had developed cancer of the uterus from taking the Premarin hormone for years during menopause. "Why me, Gee?" , she would ask." Why did the pharmacy companies discover that Premarin was the cause of my cancer for I had been taking it upon the advice of my doctor ?" That had to be one of medicine's biggest mistakes ever and we were so very sorry for my dear sister Hazel. She got the short end of the deal in that case.
Not long afterwards Hazel went on to see her Maker. A brief ceremony was held at the multi-tiered above ground grave in Saratoga, CA. Husband Jack and the three daughters, Dottie and I and sister Alice bade our sad farewell to Hazel. I read a psalm out of the bible and tearfully bid her farewell. Sis Hazel, I will always remember you.
- - - - - - - - -
Letter typed May 8, 1986 from George Poppin to his sister Hazel Thompson
Dear Sis Haze,
I was so proud to hear that Myrna was receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from San Jose State. For some reason I was under the impression that she was attending a Community College. She deserves an Academy award for hanging in there and getting the degree. Good for her!!
Things are moving right along with Dottie and I. The children are well and so are we. I heard from brother Jim a few days ago and he told me that Pete Semenoff, Dyad Vasili's son who lives near the Molokan Church, had "pomenki" for his mother (or both parents, I forgot) last Sunday. Jim was going to be in charge of preparing the food and the cooks and waiters who were to have a snack after the memorial feast. He was going to cut the cheese and select the other items for the snack. He usually does a very good job and enjoys working with the kitchen staff at the church. Estelle is OK but her sister Dot ran into some physical difficulties. It was necessary to remove more of her leg due to an infection from the previous removal, that is, the leg around the knee was removed but an infection set in so that it was necessary to perform the second operation. She is at a rehabilitation center for a few days and should be home shortly. Sad case but she does have daughters in Santa Rosa who can drop by as needed.
Mac and I go to lunch every week and I talk with him on a a daily basis via the telephone. Tonight I am attending a St. Ignatious College Preparatory School function. Brother John's son John J. has a son, John Luke, who attends the local high school and they are having a Father-Son Night today. Nephew John asked me to come and I am happy to go along for I know that brother John would have been so proud of his son's accomplishments. To think that brother John's grandson is already in high school!! Wow, how time flies. I guess you know that nephew John, the attorney, owns the building which has his office on Sansome Street. They recently purchased a home not too far from Polytechnic High and UC Hospital, an old house built in 1910, but they plan to remodel the whole house to suit their taste. Beats plunking out so many thousands for a pile of new junk.
I've got the program for our Consulting Rosarians conference (as well as the members of our twenty rose societies in our Northern CA-Hawaii-Nevada District of the American Rose Society) pretty well wrapped up. Will have three speakers on a panel, etc. and the Conference will be held in Fresno September 26-28. Dottie and I will be there, of course. We have been taking in rose shows and are going to Reno next Tuesday to pay our dues. Our Sheltie, Dolly, is fourteen and a half years of age but is still bouncy and lovable, sable and looks like a small 'Lassie'. That's about it for the time being, Sis. Dottie and Mac send their best. A big hello to Jack and the family. Write when you fee well enough to correspond. Take care. Paklon.
- - - - - - - - -
----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy Posey
To: Tom Poppin ; Joan ; George Poppin ; Dottie Poppin
Cc: Myrna Thompson
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2000 5:22 PM
Subject: Aunt Hazel
Dad...Just went though a storage box that has a lot of old letters from you and Mom. What I was hoping to find was a card that Aunt Hazel had written to me on November 20, 1986. It was there. I knew I had saved it. She died the next year, March 1987. Here is what it says.
The card says Hello There! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello Nancy & family:
You made my day when I received your nice card. "A big thank you"--
You sound like a busy Mama and I guess that's what makes the world go round. I'm not through with my radiation treatment--had 12. Now my blood count is too low for more. It has been almost 3 months. I feel tired all the time. Correction, it is Myrna, our third girl that got her BA degree. She's still striving for better promotions at Lockheed where I worked in Sunnyvale. I decided to retire by force 10/1/1986. Heard from your dad a short note 3 weeks ago. All is well. Sorry I'm late in acknowledging but writing is my poor habit. I prefer they telephone. Trusting your family is OK. Diana is still with the phone company in San Ramon. Paula at National Semiconductor in Sunnyvale (I couldn't read how to spell Paula's company). Myrna at Lockheed in Sunnyvale. Keep in touch. Jack's sister used to live on 27527 SE 117th Ave in Kent WA. Her daughter is still in Kent. Don't know where (a side note says Jack's sister became widowed and lives in Florida now). Signed Aunt Hazel (I sound ancient) P.S. Write when you can; love to hear from you.
Myrna (Hazel's daughter), I had written to your mother after I had found out she was ill. The card she sent was the only one I had ever received and it was very special. The letter she wrote was very simple and not chatty. I wanted you to know I had kept it because she meant so much to me. I loved her and I miss her.
She married Jack Gray Thompson on 19 May 1944 in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, LA. They have three daughters, Diana, Paula, and Myrna.
DEATH CERTIFICATE TRANSCRIPTION
Hazel Thompson born AZ
DOB October 30, 1920
DOD March 31, 1987
Father John Poppin born Russia
Mother Hazel Seminoff born Russia
Spouse Jack Thompson
Informant Jack Thompson
Burial Los Gatos Memorial
Place of death residence
Cause of death cardiovascular collapse, metastatic ovarian cancer
Occupation Electronics Inspector Lockheed Missiles and Space
- - - - - - - - -
Biographical Sketch written by George John Poppin, brother of John Poppin. Written April 2000 in San Francisco, CA
- Hazel Ivanovna Poppin -
My sister Hazel was two years younger than I. She was about five foot seven inches tall and 135ish in weight and a very pretty young lady. I can see her butterball face with blonde hair swirling around in the wind as she passed me by riding "bareback" on her horse on our way from herding turkeys in the wheat stubble fields of the "old Fuller Ranch" in the mid 1920's. She had "guts" and was not far behind me performing ordinary household and farming chores. I visualize her beaming face....most of the time in smiles and listening intently as we "almost became the Young Tom Edison's Of The Year".
It was about 1927-28 when Sis Hazel and I discovered that voice vibrations traveled through copper wire connected to earphone-like tin cans. We removed the copper wire, which was wrapped around an iron core from a Model "T" Ford's electricity coil. We extended the copper wire to resemble a very small telephone line. On each end of the wire we connected tin cans to form an earphone -microphone. I would talk into the tin can on one end of the line as Sis Hazel listened with the tin can to her ear at the other end of the taut copper wire. Yes, we could distinguish vocal sounds like "hello" or "how are you" and we were utterly amazed that we heard each speaking over the copper wire. There was my first introduction into the field of communications. I became an avid inquirer into anything that resembled electrical communication. Little did I know that I would become a Technical Monitor for six world short-wave radio broadcasters in the distant future.
Of course, Hazel attended the same one room grammar schools as I. We carried our books home for homework, did the familial chores like milking cows, slinging manure out of the barn windows and wheelbarrowing the future compost to nearby manure piles. We had our shouting contests but they never lasted very long. Neither of us claimed to be the winner of those bouts...We remained friendly throughout our entire lives and that friendship lasted while we raised our own families.
Sis Hazel met Jack Thompson while I was away serving my country in the military forces. He was a bombardier and served distinguishably in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. On one occasion when Jack and I were stationed stateside he and sister Hazel visited me when I was stationed at Camp Rucker near Ozark, Alabama. It was quite a surprise to meet my new brother-in-law who looked pretty sharp in the uniform of a US Army Air Force bombardier...I believe that he was a 1st Lieutenant at the time and was stationed in Louisiana. (Note that the US Army Air Force was later called US Air Force, which it is today)
Eventually, Hazel and Jack settled in Saratoga,CA and raised three very nice looking daughters, Diana, Paula, and Myrna. They had a dog named Queen as I recall. Sis Hazel would be quite frank as we spoke on the telephone. She had developed cancer of the uterus from taking the Premarin hormone for years during menopause. "Why me, Gee?" , she would ask." Why did the pharmacy companies discover that Premarin was the cause of my cancer for I had been taking it upon the advice of my doctor ?" That had to be one of medicine's biggest mistakes ever and we were so very sorry for my dear sister Hazel. She got the short end of the deal in that case.
Not long afterwards Hazel went on to see her Maker. A brief ceremony was held at the multi-tiered above ground grave in Saratoga, CA. Husband Jack and the three daughters, Dottie and I and sister Alice bade our sad farewell to Hazel. I read a psalm out of the bible and tearfully bid her farewell. Sis Hazel, I will always remember you.
- - - - - - - - -
Letter typed May 8, 1986 from George Poppin to his sister Hazel Thompson
Dear Sis Haze,
I was so proud to hear that Myrna was receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from San Jose State. For some reason I was under the impression that she was attending a Community College. She deserves an Academy award for hanging in there and getting the degree. Good for her!!
Things are moving right along with Dottie and I. The children are well and so are we. I heard from brother Jim a few days ago and he told me that Pete Semenoff, Dyad Vasili's son who lives near the Molokan Church, had "pomenki" for his mother (or both parents, I forgot) last Sunday. Jim was going to be in charge of preparing the food and the cooks and waiters who were to have a snack after the memorial feast. He was going to cut the cheese and select the other items for the snack. He usually does a very good job and enjoys working with the kitchen staff at the church. Estelle is OK but her sister Dot ran into some physical difficulties. It was necessary to remove more of her leg due to an infection from the previous removal, that is, the leg around the knee was removed but an infection set in so that it was necessary to perform the second operation. She is at a rehabilitation center for a few days and should be home shortly. Sad case but she does have daughters in Santa Rosa who can drop by as needed.
Mac and I go to lunch every week and I talk with him on a a daily basis via the telephone. Tonight I am attending a St. Ignatious College Preparatory School function. Brother John's son John J. has a son, John Luke, who attends the local high school and they are having a Father-Son Night today. Nephew John asked me to come and I am happy to go along for I know that brother John would have been so proud of his son's accomplishments. To think that brother John's grandson is already in high school!! Wow, how time flies. I guess you know that nephew John, the attorney, owns the building which has his office on Sansome Street. They recently purchased a home not too far from Polytechnic High and UC Hospital, an old house built in 1910, but they plan to remodel the whole house to suit their taste. Beats plunking out so many thousands for a pile of new junk.
I've got the program for our Consulting Rosarians conference (as well as the members of our twenty rose societies in our Northern CA-Hawaii-Nevada District of the American Rose Society) pretty well wrapped up. Will have three speakers on a panel, etc. and the Conference will be held in Fresno September 26-28. Dottie and I will be there, of course. We have been taking in rose shows and are going to Reno next Tuesday to pay our dues. Our Sheltie, Dolly, is fourteen and a half years of age but is still bouncy and lovable, sable and looks like a small 'Lassie'. That's about it for the time being, Sis. Dottie and Mac send their best. A big hello to Jack and the family. Write when you fee well enough to correspond. Take care. Paklon.
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----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy Posey
To: Tom Poppin ; Joan ; George Poppin ; Dottie Poppin
Cc: Myrna Thompson
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2000 5:22 PM
Subject: Aunt Hazel
Dad...Just went though a storage box that has a lot of old letters from you and Mom. What I was hoping to find was a card that Aunt Hazel had written to me on November 20, 1986. It was there. I knew I had saved it. She died the next year, March 1987. Here is what it says.
The card says Hello There! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello Nancy & family:
You made my day when I received your nice card. "A big thank you"--
You sound like a busy Mama and I guess that's what makes the world go round. I'm not through with my radiation treatment--had 12. Now my blood count is too low for more. It has been almost 3 months. I feel tired all the time. Correction, it is Myrna, our third girl that got her BA degree. She's still striving for better promotions at Lockheed where I worked in Sunnyvale. I decided to retire by force 10/1/1986. Heard from your dad a short note 3 weeks ago. All is well. Sorry I'm late in acknowledging but writing is my poor habit. I prefer they telephone. Trusting your family is OK. Diana is still with the phone company in San Ramon. Paula at National Semiconductor in Sunnyvale (I couldn't read how to spell Paula's company). Myrna at Lockheed in Sunnyvale. Keep in touch. Jack's sister used to live on 27527 SE 117th Ave in Kent WA. Her daughter is still in Kent. Don't know where (a side note says Jack's sister became widowed and lives in Florida now). Signed Aunt Hazel (I sound ancient) P.S. Write when you can; love to hear from you.
Myrna (Hazel's daughter), I had written to your mother after I had found out she was ill. The card she sent was the only one I had ever received and it was very special. The letter she wrote was very simple and not chatty. I wanted you to know I had kept it because she meant so much to me. I loved her and I miss her.
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