Hazel Frances Cross

Hazel Frances Cross, age 106, of Elwood, Nebraska formerly of Arapahoe, Nebraska passed away on Friday January 21, 2022, at the Elwood Care Center, Elwood, Nebraska. She was born on December 19, 1915, to Thomas and Nora (Sanderson) Hays at the family farm north of Edison, Nebraska. She was the fourth of seven children. Her siblings were Agnes Fisher, Christine McDonald, Helen Cross, Alice Watts, Tommy Hays and Patricia Dold. As a teenager Hazel attended dances held at the Oxford Papillion where she met a “handsome and smooth dancer” named Leo Cross. On December 19, 1931, Hazel’s sixteenth birthday, they decided to elope. Accompanied by her sister Helen, brother-in-law Earl, and six-month old nephew, Vaughn, they were married at the Red Willow courthouse in McCook, Nebraska. The newlyweds moved 15 miles north of Edison in the Turkey Creek community and were blessed with five children, Carol Jean, Mona, Fred, Frank, and Wanda. Hazel was a hard-working farm wife and homemaker. While raising their children, she milked cows, raised chickens and provided produce from her garden. She loved to bake and was an excellent cook with fried chicken and homemade bread being her signature meal. She became a charter member of the Ever-Ready Club which met monthly to quilt, mend, iron, and enjoy one another’s company. Hazel and Leo stayed on the farm until they moved to Edison in 1966 and their two sons, Frank and Fred, took over the farming operations. In 1971 they moved to Arapahoe settling into her father-in-law’s, frank cross, house. While living in Arapahoe, they frequented the Arapahoe Senior Center, hosted friends for card playing and gathered with family for celebrations. Leo and Hazel were members of the First United Methodist Church of Arapahoe. Hazel was a 65- year member of the church and part of two quilting guilds. Hazel moved to Prairie Pines Retirement Community in 1996 while Leo was under care at the Elwood Care Center. They celebrated 66 years of marriage before Leo passed away in 1998. Hazel lived at Prairie Pines for 17 years before moving to assisted living at the care facility in 2013. She lived in assisted living until she was 103 years of age when she moved into the nursing home. On December 21, 2021, due to the care facility closing, she went to the Elwood Care Center where she lived her last month. Hazel spent many years sharing the stories of her life to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She had an amazing memory and could recount stories of the Dirty Thirties, the flood of 1935 and the blizzard of 1949. She will be remembered for her good-natured spirit and living a joyful life no matter the circumstances. Hazel was proceeded in death by her husband Leo, her parents Tom and Nora Hays, parents-in-law Frank and Ellen Cross, son Frank Cross, son-in-law Don Hambidge, grandson Gary Monter, great-grandson Chadd Hambidge, and all her siblings and their spouses. Those left to celebrate her life are daughters Carol Jean Hambidge, Mona (Bill) Monter, Wanda (Dean) tenBensel, all of Arapahoe, Nebraska, son Fred Cross of Galt, California, daughter-in-law Norma Lee Cross of Mesa, Arizona, 17 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, 21 great-great grandchildren with a baby due in March, and many nieces and nephews. Viewing and visitation will be Friday, January 28, 2022 from 5 PM till 7 PM at Wenburg Funeral Chapel, 652 Main St., Arapahoe, Nebraska. Funeral service will be Saturday, January 29, 2022, at 10:30 AM at the First United Methodist Church, of Arapahoe, Nebraska with Pastors Joel Rathbun, officiating. Interment will be at Arapahoe Cemetery, Arapahoe, Nebraska. Livestreaming of the service will be provided on “FUMC Arapahoe” Facebook page. Memorials are suggested to be left in her name. Wenburg Funeral Home of Arapahoe, Nebraska is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences and personal reflections may be left at wenburgfuneralhome.com