Ann Lodette Hazen: Jan. 1, 1931 – Nov. 6, 2019

“Please don’t weep for me. I praise God for all that He has given me as I go to be with Him forever.”

Ann Lodette Ebsworth Hazen, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, cousin and friend passed away on Nov. 6, 2019 at the age of 88.

We give thanks for the special woman we were blessed to have had in our lives. Ann departed this earth having lived a full life, embracing the many adventures that came along her journey with family and friends.

Ann was born on Jan. 1, 1931 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the only child of George and Dorothy Ebsworth. In her early years she enjoyed ice skating and horseback riding as well as fly fishing in the Rockies with her dad and grandfather. Her family also lived briefly in both Vancouver and Victoria before moving to the Seattle area when she was in ninth grade. She became a U.S. citizen at age 17. Ann graduated from Renton High School in 1949, where she had the honor of serving as the school’s first homecoming queen.

Ann met her beloved Dale on her 16th birthday. At the time Dale was a student at the University of Washington. They were married two and a half years later at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Renton. They enjoyed a wonderful, loving and fulfilling life. Dale passed away in 2016, just four months after celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary.

In 1950, they moved to Eastern Washington to pursue their careers and begin their family. Eventually settling in Yakima, where Ann enjoyed being a mom and homemaker, and also worked part-time as a nurse. She was involved in many civic activities and enjoyed traveling with Dale on business trips around the country and beyond. They also enjoyed playing tennis at the Yakima Tennis Club. Ann sang in the Sweet Adeline Chorus as well as St. Timothy’s church choir. They discovered sailing in Puget Sound and moored their sailboat “Sunshine” in Seattle.

In 1990 they moved to Fidalgo Island where they built their retirement home on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands and Olympic Mountains. Their lives became anything but sedentary as sailing was now uppermost on their schedule. After a time, they sold their sailboat and purchased “Bravo,” their trawler. Good times were spent cruising in the San Juan and Gulf islands.

Season tickets to the University of Washington football games found them cheering for the Huskies, win or lose.

Ann enjoyed creating with clay on her potter’s wheel.

Traveling and visiting with family were a high priority. Several trips were made exploring Europe and the British Isles as well as a sailboat charter in the Virgin Islands.

They especially enjoyed cruising on small ships with University of Washington alumni travel groups.

Dale and Ann were active in Grace by the Sea Anglican Church in Oak Harbor where they developed many loving friendships.

Ann treasured her family. She is survived by her two children and their families, Mary Ann (Wayne Bills), of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Don (Jeannine) Hazen, of Dallas, Texas; by seven grandchildren, Kristen and Oliver Hazen, Katie, Jennifer, Andrea, David and Michael Bills; and great grandchildren, Annika, Sariah and Kellen.

She will be missed but memories of her will linger on in our hearts with fondness.

If you wish to honor Ann, we request that memorial donations be made to Grace by the Sea Anglican Church, 540 S.E. Pioneer Way, Oak Harbor, WA, 98277 or The San Juan Trust Preservation, PO Box 759, Friday Harbor, WA, 98250 or to a charity of your choice.

Funeral services and celebration of Ann’s life will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 at Grace by the Sea Anglican Church in Oak Harbor.

Reception to follow in the fellowship hall at the church. Private family burial will follow at Fernhill Cemetery.

To share memories of Ann, please sign the online guestbook at www.evanschapel.com