Kevin Reed Hazell
Born: July 18th, 1953
Died: March 2nd, 2015
Obituary
Kevin Reed Hazell, 61, of Burlington, died at 5:52 pm Monday, March 2, 2015, at the Great River Hospice House in West Burlington surrounded by his family.
Born July 18, 1953, in Burlington, IA, he was the fourth son of Arthur Franklin and Wilma Dot Reed Hazell.
He was a 1971 graduate of Burlington High School.
Kevin lived a rich life, with jobs as diverse as a deckhand on the Mississippi River to a painter at Western Illinois University, where he spent much of his career. No matter where he lived or worked, he remained a talented artist, craftsman, and musician. Family members and friends continue to enjoy the results of Kevin's skill and hard work through his drawings, etchings, and lithographs that hang on their walls and even through the walls themselves that he drywalled, sanded, and meticulously painted. He loved to share his passion for playing and listening to music with his family and friends, who will always remember him through the music and art that he created and shared.
However, his most profound talent was in making the people around him feel interesting and valued. He had a close group of friends from boyhood on, and he never stopped making new friends. Always an engaging conversationalist, Kevin enjoyed connecting with others through his interests in music, cycling, art, film, painting, karate, and dogs, just to name a few. He entertained friends and family members with true but wild stories of his experiences. His children will always remember him as a great jokester and a generous yet humble friend. He was their greatest champion.
He is survived by his wife of almost 30 years, Maureen Manning Hazell of Macomb, Illinois; daughter Katie (Kielpinski) Denehy and son-in-law Mike Denehy of Columbia, Missouri; son Sean Hazell and Sean's partner Laura Miller of Grand Junction, Colorado; daughter Molly Hazell of Moab, Utah; grandson Jack Denehy; mother, Dot, of Burlington, Iowa; brother Mike Hazell and sister-in-law Joan Hazell of Coralville, Iowa; brother Pat Hazell and sister-in-law Pam Hazell of Washington, Iowa; brother Scott Hazell and sister-in-law Cathy Hazell of Burlington, Iowa; and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father and his nephew, Michael Hazell.
Visitation will be from noon until 5:00 PM with the family to receive friends from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM Thursday, March 5, 2015, at Thielen Funeral Home. Following visitation there will be a celebration of Kevin's life at The Washington, 306 Washington Street, Burlington, Iowa. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.