Obituary: Richard W. Hazzard

As received from the O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home:

Richard Wilbur Hazzard passed away peacefully in his home in Houghton Michigan on July 20, 2024, at the age of eighty-five.

Richard was born on April 25, 1939, in Ludington Michigan and grew up in Frankfort Michigan. As a young boy he began to take piano lessons. This early introduction to music led to a lifelong love of music. He was a talented pianist and loved to play daily. In high school, when he wasn’t playing football, he played the baritone in the high school band. Richard’s love for music led him to pursue a music degree at the University of Michigan. He initially began his college career as a baritone major, but his professors quickly discovered that he had an untapped gift for singing and convinced him to switch to a voice major. Richard graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in music education with a focus on vocals.

Shortly after graduating from college, Richard met his wife Laurie during the summer of 1963 while they both worked as camp counselors at the Lamkin’s Lodge summer camp near Petoskey Michigan. They became engaged during Christmas of that year and married in March of 1964. Richard and Laurie moved to Belleville Michigan where Richard had his first teaching job as a high school chorus director. While in Belleville Richard and Laurie had their first two sons Fritz and Doug.

In the early seventies the family moved to Greenville Michigan. There, Richard continued his teaching career as a high school chorus teacher. They also welcomed two more children into their lives, their third son Boyd and first daughter Shanna. It was also in Greenville that Richard and Laurie were introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which they joined in the fall of 1974 and remained lifelong devoted members.

In 1980 Richard and his family moved to Portage Michigan. While in Portage, Richard and Laurie welcomed their youngest child Julie to the family. Richard continued his career as a chorus teacher for several years but eventually decided to attend Western Michigan University to pursue a master’s degree in education administration, graduating with his MEd in 1989.

During the summer of 1989 Richard accepted a job offer as the principal in Chassell Michigan and moved his family to the Upper Peninsula. Richard finished out the remainder of his education career in Chassell, retiring from education in 1997 after 34 years of teaching. After retiring from education, Richard served as the Executive Director of the Calumet Theater until he fully retired in 2003.

After retiring, Richard remained highly active in his community. He served as a volunteer music teacher at Stanton elementary school, performed with the Calumet Players including leading roles in musicals such as Brigadoon and South Pacific and sang with the Michigan Tech Choir. Richard also actively served in a variety of roles in his local church congregation.

Richard will be fondly remembered by friends and family for his lifelong passion for music, his talent for piano, and his rich baritone voice. He had a quick-witted quirky sense of humor and was always coming up with zany jokes at a moment’s notice. Richard was the type of person who could make new friends wherever he went. He could strike up a conversation with anyone. Whether it was a stranger in front of him at the grocery store checkout, or a family with young children walking by at the park, he had a way of engaging and befriending those around him.

Richard was also devoted to his faith and family. He was the father of five children, grandfather to eight, and great grandfather to one. He and his wife Laurie were happily married and each other’s best friends for over 60 years. He had abiding faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that grew and deepened during his 50 years as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Richard had great faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, in the Eternal Life granted to us through our Savior, and in the eternal nature of families.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents Robert Sr. and Elizabeth (Duvall), his older brother Robert Jr., and his son-in-law Dwight. He is survived by his wife Laurie, his five children Fritz (Nicole), Doug, Boyd (Joelle), Shanna (Dwight), and Julie (Brett), his eight grand children and one great grandchild.

Services to celebrate Richard’s life will be held on Saturday August 3^rd at 2pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (47691 Meadow Street, Houghton Michigan).

In lieu of flowers, and in honor of his lifelong love of music, Richard’s family asks you to donate to the Michigan Tech Fine Arts Department in his memory.

The O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home of Hancock is assisting with the arrangements. To leave online condolences for his family, please go to www.oneilldennisfh.com.