Hazel Lockman, age 95, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2016 after a short stay at the Faith Lutheran Home in Wolf Point, Montana.
Hazel Barbara (Craigie) Lockman was born the second of two children to homesteaders James and Agnes (Johnson) Craigie on May 9, 1920 in Froid, Montana and grew up on the family homestead 16 miles north of Brockton.
Hazel’s life was shaped by memories and experiences from growing up on the family farm, attending the Anderson Country School, boarding in Brockton to attend high school, and graduating from high school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She went on to attend college in Minneapolis and continued her education at Montana State University in Bozeman. Following college, she interned at Milwaukee County Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she continued her training as a dietitian.
At the beginning of World War II, Hazel joined the U.S. Army as an officer and served as a dietitian at the Baxter Army Hospital in Spokane, Washington until the end of the war. During her time in the Army, she had a great compassion for all POWs who were returning from the war—a dedication to service that continued the rest of her life. Following World War II, she continued her education in California, where she attended UC Berkeley.
Hazel returned home to northeastern Montana and married Lyle “Curly” Lockman on September 22, 1950. Hazel and Curly were blessed with six children, Michael, Donald, Carol, Russell, Barbara, and Susan, and resided six miles northeast of Poplar.
Hazel loved working alongside Curly on the family farm and attending to her large vegetable and flower garden. Her generous spirit, no –nonsense attitude and dedication to her family, along with her love of baking and cooking, left a lasting impression on all who met her. She loved spending time with her family and was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother. She lived independently on the farm she loved so much until the time of her death.
To her family, Hazel is deeply loved and appreciated for her devotion and generosity to her family, her pragmatic wisdom and continual love of learning, and her tireless energy, fierce determination and unrelenting work ethic. She filled her children and grandchildren’s lives with countless examples of perseverance in the face of both small daily obstacles, as well as life’s greatest challenges. Through conversation and story, Hazel imparted invaluable “life lessons” to each member of her family, reminding them of their capacity to use their abilities to their fullest.
Hazel was preceded in death by husband Curly, daughter Barbara, her parents and sister Jean (Craigie) Ballou. She is survived by five children: Michael Lockman, Poplar; Donald (Carmen) Lockman, Brockton; Carol (David) Simensen, Harrisonburg, Virginia; Russell (Julie) Lockman, Denver, Colorado; and Susan (Michael) Vennes, Laurel. She is also survived by numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.