Hazel (Harrel) Howell

POLSON — Hazel (Harrel) Howell, 90, long time resident of Polson, died Friday morning, May 27, at Big Sky Care Center in Helena. She had been a resident there for two weeks recuperating from hip surgery.

She was born Sept. 25, 1914, to Otto and Sena Lee in West Union, Iowa. She was the youngest of four children. Her family moved to Livingston, when she was six years old. She graduated from Livingston High in 1931.

She met Harry (Ted) Harrel, they married in February 1941. After World War II, they moved to the family farm on Finley Point where they raised their three children, Georgine, and the twins, Duane and Donna.

While raising her family, Hazel was very involved with the 4-H program, Rainbow Girls and Eastern Star, where she rose to the rank of Worthy Matron of the Polson Lodge.

Hazel had many hobbies and talents. She loved to crochet, make beautiful quilts, and she was an excellent seamstress. This talent was displayed when she worked for many years at Pauline Apparel as their seamstress.

After Ted died in 1962, she sold the family farm and moved to Polson, where she met and married Van R. Howell. They were married in August 1966. She lost Van in 1981, but she stayed in Polson until April 2003. She then moved to Helena where she would be closer to her son and his family.

Hazel was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Ted Harrel and Van Howell, brothers Ralph Lee, Elmer Lee and sister Violet Cloves.

Hazel is survived by her daughters Georgine (Vic) Hulme of Othello, Wash., Donna (David) Boyles of Troy, N.Y., and her son Duane (Shirley) Harrel of Helena; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 3, at Grogan Funeral Home in Polson with burial to follow at Lakeview Cemetery. A reception will follow at the funeral home.

The family suggests memorials to the Shriner's Children's Hospital in Spokane.