89+
Salinas

Hazel Mae Tompkins’ time with us ended on February 3 just a few weeks short of her 90th birthday. Her life was filled with interesting people and experiences. She always championed the underdog. Everywhere she lived she contributed to her community. She was known for wearing red, white and blue and always encouraging people to vote and to take part in government.

Hazel grew up in the Central Valley where her family lived in migrant camps. She worked beside her family in the fields, picking cotton and drying apricots. After moving to Sanger, Hazel attended Sanger High School where she played softball. Everyone in the high school knew and trusted her.

Later, when Hazel attended Reedley College, she was active in student government and served as President of the Women’s Association. As chair of a Cancer Society drive, she led the most successful drive in that part of the Valley, second only to the much larger Fresno area. While a student, she also held many jobs including washing windows, waiting tables and driving the college bus (the only woman to hold that job since World War II). She was voted most popular woman at Reedley.

Her time at Reedley shaped who Hazel became. She often told friends “Reedley was a Mennonite town and I’ll never forget how good everyone was to me. I was invited to many of their homes and remember many of my teachers at Reedley had a birthday party for me. Reedley has a spot in my heart always.”

Hazel went on to study Physical Education at Fresno State but then decided to join the Army. She received basic training (Signal Corps) at Ft. McClelland and additional training at Ft. Gordon. She was assigned to Ft. Richey where she ran the switchboard for the base.

While stationed in the Deep South, Hazel spoke out against the racial injustice she saw around her.

At Ft. Richey, Hazel received a top-secret clearance and was assigned to SHAPE Headquarters in Paris where she served 15 months in communications and administrative duties. While in Paris, by the luck of the draw, she was chosen to be an official greeter at the Palace of Versailles for a huge gala function.

Hazel recalled: “General Lyman Lemnitzer was my General and I enjoyed my friendship with him and his wife.

While greeting the guests at the Palace, the Provost Marshall came out and got me to sit with the General, and I danced the night away. I loved that night.”

When in the Army stateside, Hazel often volunteered to help the soldiers from Ft. Richey who were in Walter Reed or Bethesda Hospital. She did their laundry and made phone calls to their families all over the USA. She arranged for patients to be transported to a destination near to their home town. To help soldiers she was never afraid to ‘bend the rules a bit.” Hazel served honorably from 1963 to 1966.

Hazel had a decades long personal friendship with Senator Dianne Feinstein. The friendship began when Feinstein was Mayor of San Francisco and over the years they shared many celebrations of birthdays and holidays.

In retirement Hazel continued her interest in the community and was a“citizen watchdog” at scores of public meetings concerning county government and health care.

Hazel was devoted to her cat Maxine, and she was always deeply grateful for her friends, neighbors, the Veteran’s Transition Center and the VA Clinic who were always there for her. A special thank you to the staff at Salinas Valley Health, Windsor Ridge and Continuum Hospice who cared lovingly for Hazel the last weeks of her life.

A celebration of Hazel’s life will be held at Bayonet Golf Club at 1McClure WayinSeaside on Sunday, March 9at 2pm.

Donation’s in Hazel’s memory my be made to the Veteran’s Transition Center of California at 220-12th Street, Marina CA 93933.