Hazel Florence Hansen Condit was born Oct. 31, 1908, in Long Point, IL. She was the daughter of Harm C. Hansen and Emma Jenkins Hansen. She died April 29, 2001, at Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson, Iowa.

Hazel and her family moved from Illinois to Paton, Iowa in 1915. She graduated from Paton High School in 1926.

Hazel married Boyd Condit on January 12, 1928, at Fort Dodge. The couple farmed near Paton and became parents of two children. Hazel was an active partner in their farming enterprise. They retired from the farm where she grew up and moved into Jefferson in 1967.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson and had belonged to C. C. Club in Paton for nearly all her life. Hazel became a resident of the long-term care unit of Greene County Medical Center in December 1994.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 1975; two brothers: Raymond and Wayne Hansen; two sisters: Mabel Muench and Vera Conant; a grandson, Jim Condit; and a daughter-in-law, Lela Condit.

Survivors include:

son, Duane Boyd Condit of Bluefield, WV

daughter, Beverly (Dwight) Lehman of Jefferson

ten grandchildren:

Paul Condit of Storm Lake, IA

Steven Condit of Storm Lake, IA

Sheila Hitchcock of Las Vegas, NV

Teresa Mayo of Huntsville, AL

Robert Condit of Bluefield, WV and the U. S. Navy

Allen Lehman of Houston, TX

Richard Lehman of Houston, TX

David Lehman of Oak Park, IL

Daniel Lehman of Lake Panorama, IA

Cynthia Summers of Blasdell, NY

14 great grandchildren

two great great grandchildren

sister, Maxine Clark of Guthrie Center

nieces and nephews

Services were Wednesday, May 2, at Slininger-Rossow Chapel in Jefferson. Dr. Richard Glasgow, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Jefferson, officiated. Delite Monahan was soloist, and Marilynn Hoskinson was organist. Grandchildren of Mrs. Conant served as casket bearers. Interment was in Paton Township Cemetery at Paton. Memorials are suggested to the long-term care unit of Greene County Medical Center or Paton or Jefferson Presbyterian Church.

Source: Jefferson Herald of May 3, 2001

*Not mentioned in the obituary were two sisters who died in infancy.

____________________________________________

Daughter of Harm C. Hansen and Emma Eliza Jenkins Hansen

Sister of Eliza, Raymond, Mabel, Rosa, Vera, Wayne, Ila Maxine

Wife of Boyd Condit whom she married on January 12, 1928.

Mother of Duane Boyd Condit and Beverly Janice Condit Lehman.

Grandmother of Allen Lehman, David Lehman, Daniel Lehman, Cynthia Lehman, Richard Lehman, James Condit, Paul Condit, Shiela Condit, Teresa Condit, Steven Condit, Robert Condit.

____________________________________________

1910 United States Federal Census

Home in 1910: Long Point, Livingston, Illinois

Father's name: Harm C Hanson; b. Germany

Mother's name: Emma E Hanson; b. Illinois

Household Members:

Harm C Hanson 28 and Emma E Hanson 26

Raymond Hanson 5

Mable Hanson 3

Hazel Hanson 1

Ralph Shell 21 (hired man)

1920 United States Federal Census

Home in 1920: Paton, Greene, Iowa

Attended School: Yes; Able to Read and Write: Yes

Household Members:

Harmon Hanson 39 and Emma Hanson 36

Raymond Hanson 15

Mable Hanson 13

Hazel Hanson 11

Vera Hanson 8

Wayne Hanson 0

Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1940

Name: Hazel Florence Hansel [Hazel Florence Hansen]

Age: 20

Residence Place: Paton, Iowa

Marriage Date: 12 Jan 1928

Marriage Place: Fort Dodge, Iowa, USA

Father: Harm Hansen; Mother: Emma Junkin

Spouse: Boyd Max Condick [Condit]

1930 United States Federal Census

Home in 1930: Paton, Greene, Iowa

Household Members:

Boyd Condit 27 and Hazel Condit 21

Duane Condit 1 8/12

Beyerly Condit 6/12 [Beverly]

1940 United States Federal Census

Home in 1940: Paton, Greene, Iowa

Highest Grade Completed: HS, 4th year

Household Members:

Boyd Condit 37 and Hazel Condit 31

Duane Condit 11

Beverly Condit 10

U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current

Name: Hazel F. Condit

Last Residence: 50129 Jefferson, Greene, Iowa, USA

Born: 31 Oct 1908

Died: 29 Apr 2001

State (Year) SSN issued: Iowa (1963)

____________________________________________

"Yesterday I said goodbye to my mother - not the curt "G-bye" of the new quiz show, "The Weakest Link." This was a long, long goodbye as she had been at Long Term Care here for 6 1/2 years. Still, that final goodbye is difficult, no matter how sad the final years.

I thought of what I would like to write about her and decided that my Mother's Day column in 1998 was probably better than anything I can do now, so with the editor's permission, I'll simply reprint that with a few minor changes.

Michael Dorris' book "Cloud Chamber" begins with the line, "When I was still Rose Mannion and had full use of myself, I was a force to behold." That line struck me as being very appropriate for a column about my mother, Hazel Condit. When she had full use of herself, she, too, was a force to behold.

I was born, my parents' second child, in October of 1929 — three weeks before the "Black Friday" that marked the beginning of The Great Depression, but I don't believe my birth had anything to do with that.

My mother told me bits and pieces of how they survived that depression, but like many adult children, I wish I had asked her more and listened better. I recall when young playing in the sunshine while my mother washed clothes for the wife of my father's employer, Phil Horn. If I remember correctly, in return, she got to use the washing machine for our family wash.

A little later on, when the Depression was nominally over, but word hadn't reached the little town of Paton yet, we lived in a tiny one-room house on a farm west of Paton where my father worked as a hired man. When my mother had a quarter to pay for the privilege, she was allowed to use the landlord's washing machine. When she didn't, she used the washboard. I don't want you to think that my mother did nothing but wash clothes, but in those days, women raised the children, and the husbands went to work. But also in those days, there wasn't always work for the men to go to.

Anyway, my mother, having been raised on a farm, was used to working hard and even enjoyed it. She was the "middle button" in a family of six children, all of whom were expected to work. She enjoyed telling me that she annoyed her older brother and sister by being the first one whose feet hit the floor when Grandpa knocked on the stair door to call them to get up and do morning chores. So, when all else failed, she and my father got a job picking corn by hand, as it was done in those days.

Better times were ahead, though, when my father got a job cutting meat for his brother-in-law at Easley's Market in Paton. In summer (it is nearly always summer in my memories), Mother would scrub us up in the afternoon and we would walk uptown (a mere two blocks) to purchase the evening's supply of meat. We sometimes got to have a nickel for an ice cream cone on those hot summer afternoons. Talk about wealth! Almost as big a treat for me, though, was entering the cool, dim library on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons (the only days it was open).

I was allowed three books each time we went, and they had to last me until we went again, so you can imagine how they were pored over by the little bookworm I became as soon as I entered first grade. My mother often scolded me, saying, "You'll ruin your eyes reading that much!" Sure enough, she was right. Like all good mothers, to her children she was a force to behold."

Source: a tribute to her mother by Beverly Condit Lehman; published in the Jefferson Herald; Jefferson, Iowa; Thursday, May 3, 2001

_______________________________________________

A new book was purchased at Jefferson Public Library called "Patchwork Picnic" in memory of Hazel Condit. It contains gorgeous quilts, delicious recipes and creative ideas for casual entertaining throughout the year.

Source: Jefferson Herald; Thursday, Nov.1, 2001