Hazel Reynolds

Hazel Marie Reynolds, 94, passed from this life on Saturday evening, Aug. 23, 2014 at Solara Hospital in Shawnee. Hazel, was a resident of northern Seminole County for over 80 years, and was the co-owner and operator of Mable Jackson Grocery in Little for almost 50 years. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 1:30 p.m. at the Church of Christ at Little under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home. Ministers John Henley and Rusty Dawson will officiate.  Burial will follow at the Little Cemetery. Born in McMillan, Oklahoma, on Aug. 6, 1920, to Frankie Simpson Royal and Arthur Royal, Reynolds moved to the Little Community when she was a teenager.  She graduated from Prairie Valley High School as valedictorian of her class in 1938. After graduation, she worked alongside her sister, Mable Jackson, running a full-service country grocery store.  She fell in love with her co-worker at the store, Wayne Reynolds before he left for active duty during WWII.  Upon his return from the war, the two were married on May 29, 1945.  For the next 20 years, they helped build the store as it expanded with a fresh meat market, gas service station, agricultural feed supplies, groceries and sundries, and a “charge account” personal credit business.  Wayne also ran a ranching operation in the Little community. Their union produced three children, Linda Reynolds Helbach, Danny Reynolds and Lana Reynolds.  In 1966, Wayne died suddenly of a heart attack at age 52, leaving Hazel to raise her children, ages 17, 13 and 6, alone. She worked tirelessly to provide for her family and to ensure that they had good educational opportunities.  She instilled in them the motivation to go to college, and all three completed post-graduate degrees. An active member of the Church of Christ at Little, Hazel attended Ladies Bible Class and was a member of the Oklahoma Christian College Women’s Association.  An avid cook, Hazel was constantly cooking for family, church, community and educational functions.  The frequency of her contributions earned her honorary status as “Home Room Mother” for her friends at Seminole State College. In honor of her contributions to the college and community, the flags at Seminole State College will be flown at half-staff through Wednesday. She is survived by her children, Linda and her husband Morris Helbach, Danny and his wife Jill Reynolds and Lana.  She is also survived by five grandchildren and their spouses:  Amy and Geoff Nielsen, Brad and Janelle Reynolds, Shelly and Brent Mercer, Greg and Jaime Reynolds and Jana and Pedro Colá½�n. Fifteen great-grandchildren also survive her:  Alyssa, Ashley Hazel and Jake Nielsen; Christian, Carson and Caden Cato; Chyler Reynolds; Preston, Madison and Grady Mercer; Gracie, Ellie, Ruby and Jett Reynolds; and Jonah Colá½�n. Memorial donations may be made to the Seminole State College Educational Foundation, earmarked for the Wayne and Hazel Reynolds Scholarship, and mailed to P.O. Box 351, Seminole, OK  74818. Pallbearers will be:  Larry Birdwell, Roy Boydstun, Demp Chesser, Tex Gleichman, Jack Cline and Larry Vickers. Funeral Information: August 27, 2014, 1:30 PM Church of Christ of Little located at Hwy 99 N., Little, OK 74868