Hazel Jean Milham, was the first daughter born to William and Florence (Webb) Milham, in the Brisbane suburb of Albion.
The family moved to Bulimba, where Hazel attended school for a number of years, then to Cannon Hill and finally Ascot.
During World War II, Ascot Race course was taken over by American troops and renamed "Camp Ascot."
As well as befriending the U.S. Troops, many of the local families made extra money by taking in the soldiers washing.
The Milham family was one such family, and the deepening friendship between Hazel Milham and Cpl Stanley Edward Butler, U.S. Army/Air Force, led to Stan obtaining permission to marry Hazel.
Eventually duty took Stan away from Brisbane to Townsville, where he was severely injured and returned home to the U.S. for treatment.
Stan did not return to Australia, and Hazel set sail from Brisbane in May 1946 to join him in Batavia, New York U.S.A.
For reasons unknown, their son Harry John a.k.a. John was left in the care of his grand parents, and was never to see either parent again.
Hazel and Stan had two more children born in the U.S. - Lynette Jean and Jeffrey Lynn.
Not long after Jeffreys birth, Stan and Hazel divorced. The two children stayed with Stan, who later remarried, but was widowed at the time he passed away in 1977.
Hazel too eventually remarried, Duanne Persun, who was a U.S. Navy Veteran. No children were born of this union. Hazel and Duanne also divorced.
Through an interest in genealogy, Harry's wife was eventually able to establish pieces of his parents history, and in 1992 was responsible for locating Hazel and she and Harry established a very intense and moving relationship until her accidental death just prior to Christmas 1993.
From what we have been able to access, it seems that Hazel was Christmas shopping for elderly folk in her apartment complex. Apparently, this was some thing she did regularly, as well as helping with the cleaning of their apartments.
She was crossing with the lights at a pedestrian crossing, when a light truck came out of a tunnel and hit her. She was thrown across the road, and died in hospital from blunt force trauma to the head.
At the time of her death, Harry, his wife and Hazel were in the process of completing paperwork for Hazel to live the rest of her life back in Australia.
Harry had her cremated in Pittsburgh and her ashes bought back home, where they were interred in the grave containing the bodies of her parents.
In remembrance of both Hazel and his grandmother, Florence (Webb) Milham, Harry had a bronze plaque of remembrance erected on the grave.
######## Sincere thanks & gratitude to Pamela Sitler for her sponsorship of Hazel's Memorial #######
********* Thanks to Jim Seidelman. As with so many of my Memorials, these are wonderful restorations, and marvellous composite. ********
The family moved to Bulimba, where Hazel attended school for a number of years, then to Cannon Hill and finally Ascot.
During World War II, Ascot Race course was taken over by American troops and renamed "Camp Ascot."
As well as befriending the U.S. Troops, many of the local families made extra money by taking in the soldiers washing.
The Milham family was one such family, and the deepening friendship between Hazel Milham and Cpl Stanley Edward Butler, U.S. Army/Air Force, led to Stan obtaining permission to marry Hazel.
Eventually duty took Stan away from Brisbane to Townsville, where he was severely injured and returned home to the U.S. for treatment.
Stan did not return to Australia, and Hazel set sail from Brisbane in May 1946 to join him in Batavia, New York U.S.A.
For reasons unknown, their son Harry John a.k.a. John was left in the care of his grand parents, and was never to see either parent again.
Hazel and Stan had two more children born in the U.S. - Lynette Jean and Jeffrey Lynn.
Not long after Jeffreys birth, Stan and Hazel divorced. The two children stayed with Stan, who later remarried, but was widowed at the time he passed away in 1977.
Hazel too eventually remarried, Duanne Persun, who was a U.S. Navy Veteran. No children were born of this union. Hazel and Duanne also divorced.
Through an interest in genealogy, Harry's wife was eventually able to establish pieces of his parents history, and in 1992 was responsible for locating Hazel and she and Harry established a very intense and moving relationship until her accidental death just prior to Christmas 1993.
From what we have been able to access, it seems that Hazel was Christmas shopping for elderly folk in her apartment complex. Apparently, this was some thing she did regularly, as well as helping with the cleaning of their apartments.
She was crossing with the lights at a pedestrian crossing, when a light truck came out of a tunnel and hit her. She was thrown across the road, and died in hospital from blunt force trauma to the head.
At the time of her death, Harry, his wife and Hazel were in the process of completing paperwork for Hazel to live the rest of her life back in Australia.
Harry had her cremated in Pittsburgh and her ashes bought back home, where they were interred in the grave containing the bodies of her parents.
In remembrance of both Hazel and his grandmother, Florence (Webb) Milham, Harry had a bronze plaque of remembrance erected on the grave.
######## Sincere thanks & gratitude to Pamela Sitler for her sponsorship of Hazel's Memorial #######
********* Thanks to Jim Seidelman. As with so many of my Memorials, these are wonderful restorations, and marvellous composite. ********
Hazel Jean Milham, was the first daughter born to William and Florence (Webb) Milham, in the Brisbane suburb of Albion.
The family moved to Bulimba, where Hazel attended school for a number of years, then to Cannon Hill and finally Ascot.
During World War II, Ascot Race course was taken over by American troops and renamed "Camp Ascot."
As well as befriending the U.S. Troops, many of the local families made extra money by taking in the soldiers washing.
The Milham family was one such family, and the deepening friendship between Hazel Milham and Cpl Stanley Edward Butler, U.S. Army/Air Force, led to Stan obtaining permission to marry Hazel.
Eventually duty took Stan away from Brisbane to Townsville, where he was severely injured and returned home to the U.S. for treatment.
Stan did not return to Australia, and Hazel set sail from Brisbane in May 1946 to join him in Batavia, New York U.S.A.
For reasons unknown, their son Harry John a.k.a. John was left in the care of his grand parents, and was never to see either parent again.
Hazel and Stan had two more children born in the U.S. - Lynette Jean and Jeffrey Lynn.
Not long after Jeffreys birth, Stan and Hazel divorced. The two children stayed with Stan, who later remarried, but was widowed at the time he passed away in 1977.
Hazel too eventually remarried, Duanne Persun, who was a U.S. Navy Veteran. No children were born of this union. Hazel and Duanne also divorced.
Through an interest in genealogy, Harry's wife was eventually able to establish pieces of his parents history, and in 1992 was responsible for locating Hazel and she and Harry established a very intense and moving relationship until her accidental death just prior to Christmas 1993.
From what we have been able to access, it seems that Hazel was Christmas shopping for elderly folk in her apartment complex. Apparently, this was some thing she did regularly, as well as helping with the cleaning of their apartments.
She was crossing with the lights at a pedestrian crossing, when a light truck came out of a tunnel and hit her. She was thrown across the road, and died in hospital from blunt force trauma to the head.
At the time of her death, Harry, his wife and Hazel were in the process of completing paperwork for Hazel to live the rest of her life back in Australia.
Harry had her cremated in Pittsburgh and her ashes bought back home, where they were interred in the grave containing the bodies of her parents.
In remembrance of both Hazel and his grandmother, Florence (Webb) Milham, Harry had a bronze plaque of remembrance erected on the grave.
######## Sincere thanks & gratitude to Pamela Sitler for her sponsorship of Hazel's Memorial #######
********* Thanks to Jim Seidelman. As with so many of my Memorials, these are wonderful restorations, and marvellous composite. ********
The family moved to Bulimba, where Hazel attended school for a number of years, then to Cannon Hill and finally Ascot.
During World War II, Ascot Race course was taken over by American troops and renamed "Camp Ascot."
As well as befriending the U.S. Troops, many of the local families made extra money by taking in the soldiers washing.
The Milham family was one such family, and the deepening friendship between Hazel Milham and Cpl Stanley Edward Butler, U.S. Army/Air Force, led to Stan obtaining permission to marry Hazel.
Eventually duty took Stan away from Brisbane to Townsville, where he was severely injured and returned home to the U.S. for treatment.
Stan did not return to Australia, and Hazel set sail from Brisbane in May 1946 to join him in Batavia, New York U.S.A.
For reasons unknown, their son Harry John a.k.a. John was left in the care of his grand parents, and was never to see either parent again.
Hazel and Stan had two more children born in the U.S. - Lynette Jean and Jeffrey Lynn.
Not long after Jeffreys birth, Stan and Hazel divorced. The two children stayed with Stan, who later remarried, but was widowed at the time he passed away in 1977.
Hazel too eventually remarried, Duanne Persun, who was a U.S. Navy Veteran. No children were born of this union. Hazel and Duanne also divorced.
Through an interest in genealogy, Harry's wife was eventually able to establish pieces of his parents history, and in 1992 was responsible for locating Hazel and she and Harry established a very intense and moving relationship until her accidental death just prior to Christmas 1993.
From what we have been able to access, it seems that Hazel was Christmas shopping for elderly folk in her apartment complex. Apparently, this was some thing she did regularly, as well as helping with the cleaning of their apartments.
She was crossing with the lights at a pedestrian crossing, when a light truck came out of a tunnel and hit her. She was thrown across the road, and died in hospital from blunt force trauma to the head.
At the time of her death, Harry, his wife and Hazel were in the process of completing paperwork for Hazel to live the rest of her life back in Australia.
Harry had her cremated in Pittsburgh and her ashes bought back home, where they were interred in the grave containing the bodies of her parents.
In remembrance of both Hazel and his grandmother, Florence (Webb) Milham, Harry had a bronze plaque of remembrance erected on the grave.
######## Sincere thanks & gratitude to Pamela Sitler for her sponsorship of Hazel's Memorial #######
********* Thanks to Jim Seidelman. As with so many of my Memorials, these are wonderful restorations, and marvellous composite. ********
Gravesite Details
Ashes placed in grave of her parents, William and Florence (Webb) Milham
Family Members
Flowers
See more Persun or Milham - Butler memorials in:
- Balmoral Cemetery Persun or Milham - Butler
- Brisbane Persun or Milham - Butler
- Brisbane City Persun or Milham - Butler
- Queensland Persun or Milham - Butler
- Australia Persun or Milham - Butler
- Find a Grave Persun or Milham - Butler
