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Hazel McClellan  (1909-2005)

 The Theodore Turley Family Book, pp. 364-365

Hazel, the eleventh of twelve children of David and Esther Turley McClellan, was born Sunday, Nov. 7, 1909 at Colonia Juarez, Mexico.  In Feb. 1910, the family moved to San Jose and later to Morelos, both in the state of Sonora.. Then on Aug. 21, 1912, due to a political revolution, the family left Mexico.

After arriving in the United States, Hazel was treated a month for typhoid fever.  Her father and brother Bill had gone by team and wagon for Tucson to find work and try to get the family situated when the Bishop came with a $20.00 bill and advised her mother to get Hazel to the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City as fast as possible if she wanted her to live.  Hazel spent eleven months in the Children's Hospital and, although the right leg was shorter than the left due to no hip joint, she returned to the family in good health in answer to much fasting and praying and the blessings of the Priesthood, and with gratitude for unnumbered kindnesses from friends and loved ones.

Hazel was reared on farms in Chandler, Arizona where she graduated from high school.  She started teaching Sunday School when fourteen years of age and attended Seminary during the high school noon hour.  The family moved to Mesa in 1928 and Hazel got a job working in the Phoenix Laundry.  Then she was cashier for J.C. Penney Co. in Mesa for about a year. Later she worked in a dress factory in Hollywood, California for about three years before quitting to get married.  Like many others, their family had bad luck in the depression and Hazel worked and sent money home to help her parents get a Home built at 42 ½  E. Second Ave., in Mesa.  Years later she owned and operated a mimeograph business for twenty years during the time she raised her children, supported her son on his mission, and took care of herself after the four children were raised and married.

On March 14, 1933 she was married and sealed in the Ariz. Temple to George Merrill Roy, and from this union four children were born:  George Merrill Jr., Theodore Victor, Hazel Florene, and Lena Claudette--all four of whom were married in the Arizona Temple,  The sealing was cancelled Jan. 12, 1944, and on Dec. 29, 1960 Hazel was sealed to Joseph Brinkerhoff.  Then years after he passed away, Hazel married Joseph Mortensen Feb. 1, 1974 in the Arizona Temple.

Besides teaching Sunday School and genealogical classes, serving on the Sunday School and Genealogical Stake Boards for many years, working with the Lamanites at Papago, Ft. McDowell, Spanish American Ward and Victory Acres Branch, Hazel raised money for Stake projects by getting out three Stake Directories—selling ads, setting up "copy," etc., with the last Directory having ad sales up to $5,500.00 before she stopped selling, and was having a "ball!"

She principled five week-long genealogical schools in Arizona and El Paso, Texas–doing all the planning and assisting in the teaching, etc.  To-date she has done the Mesa Tenth Ward Sunday School Bulletin for over twelve years.  She was also Special Interests Representative for Tenth Ward for several years, which she enjoyed very much because she knew the need for it.

At this writing, Hazel is the grandmother of 24, great-grandmother of 2, has a grandson on a mission in New York state besides having had a son fill a mission in the Southern States. The last three years have been extremely busy and rewarding for  Hazel with remodeling and fixing her home with Joe, quite a bit of trave1ing--two trips to Hawaii (four islands), and just plain everyday Happy Living!