Hazel M. Charlson

Hazel Maxine Charlson, 99, of Northwood, Iowa, died Monday, Dec.19, 2016, at the Breen Unit, Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood.

A funeral service for Hazel was held on Friday, Dec. 23, 2016, at the Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. South, Northwood, with Reverend Ed Bard officiating.  Burial was in the Clear Lake Cemetery.

Hazel Maxine (Wagner) Charlson was born on May 2, 1917, the daughter of Sten and Johanna (Thompson) Wagner in Scarville, Iowa.  The family attended Immanuel Lutheran Church where Hazel was baptized and reaffirmed the faith of her baptism through confirmation by the Reverend S.J. Fretheim.

Her first eight years of school were in the country, two miles from her home.  In 1934, she graduated from Scarville High School.  In 1937, she graduated from the North Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa and taught four years in country schools.  She taught in Thompson and Lake Mills school systems.

On April 15, 1941, she married Floyd Ostrander, and they farmed by Thompson, Iowa. To this marriage they had three children, JoAnn, Jim and Don, and were members of Bethany Lutheran Church, in Thompson.  Hazel taught Sunday school, Bible school, and was part-time Sunday school superintendent.  She and Floyd were also 4-H leaders.

In September 1971, they moved to Clear Lake where they were the first employees of Opportunity Village.  They had 16 residents the first day.  The walkways were wet, and Floyd was kept busy with a small tractor making walkways with boards.  He also planted hundreds of trees by hand.  Hazel was kept busy cooking and caring for the residents.  They were members of Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake.

Floyd died in 1976, and she later married Lester Charlson, of Thompson.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children, JoAnn Lower, of Northwood, and Don (Sue) Ostrander, of Custer, S.D.; a daughter-in-law, Lillian Ostrander of Hawthorn, N.J.; her sister, Marlys Whisler, of Northwood; her grandchildren, Timothy (Almira) Lower, of Iowa City, Laurie Lower and her husband, Jim McClure, of Boston, Mass., Eric (Tanya) Ostrander, of Hawthorn, N.J., Lisette Ostrander, of San Francisco, Calif., Jeremy (Andrea) Ostrander, of Lake Mills, Sarah Heath, of Lake Mills, and Nathan (Chelsie) Ostrander, of Lake Mills; eight great-grandchildren; as well as several nieces, nephews, and other extended family members and friends.

Hazel was preceded in death by her parents, Sten and Johanna Wagner; two husbands, Floyd Ostrander and Lester Charlson; her son, Reverend Jim Ostrander; and three brothers, and a sister, Elmer, Leslie, Archie, and Inez.

Conner Colonial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.