Hazel M.

Leatherman

Hazel M. Leatherman, 95, of Ellington, MO, previously of Toronto, KS, passed away on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at Ellington, MO.

Hazel Marie Thomas, the oldest of five children born to Roy E.  and Irma L. (Armstrong) Thomas, was born in Danville, VA on January 19, 1926.  A few years after her birth the family moved to North Carolina, and after a few moves, they ended up living in Kannapolis, NC.

Hazel attended school in Kannapolis and graduated from J. W. Cannon High School in 1943.  After high school Hazel worked and attended the Pilgrim Bible College in Kernersville, NC.  In 1952 she transferred to Marion College in Marion, IN and graduated from there in 1954 with a B.S. in Elementary Education.

For the next four years Hazel taught first grade in Landis, NC.  In September 1959 she went to Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, as the country was gaining its independence and the British were turning the government services and schools over to the new government.  There she taught local educators how to teach elementary school.  Hazel was stationed at Chabbaboma  and Siachitema Missions and returned to the states in September 1964.

After her return to the states, Hazel worked for the Pilgrim Holiness Church and then became the Dean of Women at Bartlesville Bible College in Bartlesville, OK.  While taking a quartet from the college to sing at the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Toronto, KS she met Oliver "Bud" Leatherman, the minister at the church.  Hazel and Bud were married in Kannapolis on June 9, 1966.

For several years Hazel was a substitute teacher at the Toronto Grade School and later, for thirteen years, she was a full-time teacher for the third and fourth grades.  Hazel was ordained as a minister in the Wesleyan Church in June 1968 and served with Bud until their retirement in 1993.

After their retirement Hazel and Bud traveled and camped throughout the United States and enjoyed visiting the national parks.  For many years they spent their winters in Apache Junction, AZ.  Bud passed away on March 17, 2018.

Hazel was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brother, Dewey Thomas and sister, Joan Ragan.  She is survived by stepdaughter, Linda (Curtis) Richards, stepson, Lorren (Donna) Leatherman, step granddaughters, Kristen (Zach) Guerrero and Amanda (Corey) Wilkinson and step great grandchildren, Gabby Guerrero and Drake and Deacon Wilkinson, sisters, Faith Amspaugh and Lylan (Larry) Beam and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on December 20, 2021 at 11:00 AM with a visitation beginning at 10:00 AM before the service at the North Kannapolis Wesleyan Church in Kannapolis, NC.  Interment will be in Carolina Memorial Park, Concord, NC following the funeral.  Masks requested.

McSpadden Funeral Homes in Ellington, MO is in charge of arrangements.   In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts be made to Global Partners Missions.