Hazel Flanigan

Hazel (Felty) Flanigan, 84 years, resident of Spring Hill, TN, formerly of rural Liberal, MO, passed away Thursday, August 25, 2011.        She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, William Wayne Flanigan; newborn daughter, Linda Kay Flanigan; parents Floyd C. and Pearl Felty, and her three brothers, Ralph, Clyde, and Dale Felty.       She is survived by three children:  Paul Flanigan and his wife Carol, of Mesquite, TX; Sondra (Flanigan) Vitosky of Spring Hill, TN; Candie (Flanigan) Hackler and her husband Landon of rural Lamar, MO.  Grand children: Toye Vitosky, Jordan Flanigan, and Dillon Hackler.       Hazel was born near Liberal, MO.  She graduated from Minden High School, Mindenmines, MO in 1945.  She earned an Associate’s degree at Southwest Baptist College, Bolivar, MO in 1947.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU), Shawnee, OK in 1949.        While attending OBU, she met a fellow student, William Wayne Flanigan who was studying for the ministry.  They courted during college and since Hazel had started college earlier than Wayne, she graduated a year earlier than he.        Upon graduation from OBU, she moved to Seiling, OK to teach school for a year.  Wayne stayed at OBU to complete his college education and after graduation they married in 1950.        In their desire to serve God in the ministry, they moved to California to attend Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Mill Valley, CA to earn their master’s degrees.  They both graduated in 1954, Hazel, with her Master of Religious Education and Wayne with his Divinity degree.       Hazel and Wayne served in several small churches in California, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas.  This includes the Newport Baptist Church near rural Lamar, MO, and the Mulberry Southern Baptist Mission in Mulberry, KS.  They also served as home missionaries to the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board in Oklahoma City, OK during the early to mid-1960s.  Hazel also taught various grade levels including kindergarten, fourth grade and special education in Liberal, MO, Granby, MO, and Golden City, MO.        Prior to moving to Tennessee to live with her oldest daughter, she was an active member of the First Baptist Church, Liberal, MO.  While living in Tennessee, she was an active member of The People’s Church, Franklin, TN.  She loved people, especially children.  She loved animals and God’s wonderful creation.  She enjoyed listening to beautiful music and had a great love for life.  Hazel was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.  All who encountered her were blessed by her sweet gentle kindness and her soft loving spirit.       The visitation and funeral will be held at the Daniel Funeral Home, 1201 Broadway Street, Lamar, MO  64759.  Visitation and viewing will be Wednesday, August 31, 2011 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.  The funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, September 3, 2011.  Interment will be at Nashville Cemetery, located at the northwest corner of the Missouri Highway 43 and Route AA junction.