Hazel A. Hoffman, 95, of Seneca, KS, died Monday, November 28, 2011 at Crestview Manor care home in Seneca.

Hazel was born August 4, 1916, on a farm near Fidelity, KS, the daughter of Daniel F. and Adelia Sunderland Zettle. She attended through 8th grade at Ford Community School east of Seneca. She and her family moved into Seneca in 1931, where she graduated from Seneca Public High School in 1933.

From a young age she learned the hairdressing and cosmetology business on her own by working around Seneca, launching herself in a beauty career that would last for more than 72 years. She took formal training at the McGregor School of Hairdressing and Cosmetology in Kansas City, MO.

Besides owning and operating her own beauty shop, she also did hairdressing work for Lauer Funeral Home for many years, beginning with Phil Lauer, founder of the business.

Hazel married Ralph Hoffman of Sabetha on January 20, 1935, at the Methodist Parsonage in Marysville, KS. They enjoyed 53 years of marriage before Ralph died on September 11, 1987.

After marriage, they lived in Sabetha for a year before moving to Hiawatha for 10 years, where Hazel owned and operated Hazel’s Beauty Service. After 1946, they moved to Seneca where she relocated Hazel’s Beauty Service to 8th Street in a shop next to their house. She operated at that location for an amazing 57 years, until she finally retired from the beauty business in June 2003 due to ill health.

Over the years, Hazel also helped her husband Ralph with bookkeeping and office work in various businesses. Among their businesses were two gas stations, Kaiser-Frazer and Studebaker car dealerships, the Western Auto Store, and Hoffman Manufacturing of Hoffman Golf Carts.

Hazel also lived in El Paso, TX for six months during 1943 while Ralph was stationed nearby with the military. While there, she worked in civil service in the Censorship Office.

Hazel was baptized in the United Methodist Church of Seneca, and became the eldest living member of the church. She was a charter member of the Seneca Memorial Post #7458 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. She held every office in the local auxiliary as well as all offices in the 1st District. During 1966 and 1967 she was the president. She was also a member of the Earl W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion Auxiliary in Seneca and the Zenith Chapter #184 of the Eastern Star in Hiawatha.

Besides being engaged in her beauty profession, her passionate hobby was collecting and restoring antique dolls. Her collection reached over 1400 dolls before being auctioned in a two-day sale in 1995. She also enjoyed golf, cards, traveling and assisting the elderly. She and Ralph traveled to every state in the union, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well outside the U.S. to Mexico, Canada and the Bahamas.

She and Ralph also also owned race cars and had a mutual interest in antique cars, tractors, and organizations concerning antiques.

Survivors are a devoted foster son, Gary McDaniel and his wife Virginia and their family of Las Vegas, NV; a cousin, Kenneth Drolett and his wife Darlene and family of Topeka; several cousins in Pennsylvania; and close friends for over 40 years, Bill and JoAnn Huerter.

Besides her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by an infant brother, Forest Dean Zettle in 1914, and a sister, Marjorie Koch in 1992.

The funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM Thursday, December 1, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Burial will be in the Seneca City Cemetery.

Memorials may be given for the United Methodist Church of Seneca or the VFW Auxiliary, Seneca Memorial Post #7458.