Hazel

10 May 1948 – 14 September 1998

Little Thatch
83 East Borough
Wimborne Minster
BH21 I PE
10th October 1998

Dear Rob,

I am so sad to hear that Hazel has died. I cannot begin to imagine the pain you must all be feeling, my thoughts are with you and with Pat, who must be such a tower of strength for you all. I did receive all your emails and have to say that I was very moved when reading the tenderness that emanated from your words. How fortunate for you both to find such love.

You ask if there is anything that we remember about Hazel that may help to build a complete picture of her before she came into your life. I do remember a visit to the Church family when they lived in Winscombe. Hazel was probably 13 or so and we had gone for lunch. Hazel was assigned to making the custard (I cannot remember what went with it, though). She mixed the powder, sugar and a drop of milk in a jug and put the rest of the milk on to boil. Once it had boiled, she poured it on to the custard mixture and that was it! I tactfully said, "Don’t you now have to bring it to the boil again to thicken it?" (to say nothing of having to cook the powdery texture out). She replied, "Oh, no, I don’t like thick custard." So that was that and we politely ate it at pudding time. I can’t imagine why this sticks in my mind, but I think it’s a nice little story and perhaps she showed her strength of character even then.

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Penny was Hazel’s first cousin.