Don Edmund Hazard

Funeral Service Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/97345816212?pwd=xVBcR6Uq4yJJHAu84JEbdQqADksLXM.1#success Today we honor the extraordinary life of Don Edmund Hazard who passed away on May 5th, 2025 at his home in Draper, Utah—a man whose heart, strength, and spirit left an indelible mark on everyone lucky enough to know him. Don was born on December 1, 1931, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Neale B. Hazard and Isabel Baird Hazard. They, and his sister Jean and brother Bob, welcome him beyond the veil. He leaves behind his wife, Barbara Lee Hazard and his four children Don and his wife Leslie, Greg and his wife Nancy, Jill and her husband Lee and Natalie and her husband Bart. He leaves behind 21 grandchildren and 61 great grandchildren that he had a deep and personal relationship with. As a boy, he served as an altar boy at the Episcopal Church and had a beloved dog named Jiggs. His adventurous spirit emerged early, climbing cliff walls in the Snake River Canyon and catching pigeons to keep as pets. He was a gifted athlete—excelling in football, basketball, baseball, and track—and became an exceptional fast-pitch softball pitcher, mastering his craft by drawing a strike zone on a wall and learning to hit every corner with precision. He often said, “You can make the ball do things in fast pitch softball you can't do with overhand baseball.” Don was also a brilliant student, earning a full scholarship to Idaho State, where he majored in history and won a chemistry award. He was recruited in high school by Idaho State's Coach Dubby Holt, and became a student-athlete in multiple sports, including playing on a championship softball team. It was during high school at the Gold and Green Ball in Twin Falls, Idaho that he first saw Barbara Fife, who was the Queen of the Ball from Filer, Idaho. He didn’t speak to her that night, but never forgot her. Later, fate would bring them together again in the Blue Room of the Idaho State Student Union, where they finally met. Don was known for his confidence—never arrogant, just deeply sure of who he was. Don drove his father’s Model T from Twin Falls to Filer to see Barbara, a testament to his devotion. Don and Barbara were married on June 8, 1952—he was 20, she was 19—and the fairy tale began. He set track records at Idaho State while working at the Elks Club to help make ends meet. After graduation, he joined the United States Marine Corps - without consulting his wife. He began officer training at Quantico, Virginia. In a heartbreaking but formative moment, two of his fellow recruits died from heatstroke during training. While Don trained, Barbara returned home to her family’s farm in Filer. Don served two years on active duty and remained in the Marine Reserves, retiring as a Major. While playing softball for the Marines, he shattered his pitching arm while running to first base where he was tripped. Though he was safe, the injury required him to be in the hospital for the summer where he received daily cortisol shots. While his arm was saved from amputation, it was never quite the same. Still, he pressed forward. After his service, Don earned a Master’s degree in History from the University of Idaho, where he and Barbara lived in WWII-era barracks with little heat. Their son, Don Neale Hazard, was born in Moscow, Idaho—the hospital and doctor bill totaled just $100. Don’s teaching career began in Afton, Wyoming, where he taught history, coached, and drove the school bus. Their second son, Gregory Fife Hazard, was born there. Don then pursued a doctorate in History at the University of California, Berkeley which had the best PhD history program in the country at the time. He and Barbara lived in the projects in Richmond, California, where neighborhood children would come to the door and ask, “Can Mr. Don play?” And he would. They were pregnant with their 3rd child, Jill Anne, which prompted a decision to take a teaching position at a brand-new school: Woodside High School near Stanford University. Don would teach, coach, serve as activities director, and much more at Woodside for the next 33 years and he never missed a day of work. Those were years he called some of the best of his life. While continuing to teach at Woodside, he transferred from Berkley to Stanford to complete his doctoral degree. He also taught some classes at Stanford during this time. Students and colleagues affectionately called him "Doc Hazard." He and Barbara bought their first house in San Jose for $17,500—a home worth over $2 million today. Another daughter, Natalie Kay completed the family. Don became President of the Teachers Association and used his stipend to support his kids college education. He rose at 4AM every day to feed 20 horses before work, including one for his daughter, Natalie. Don was beloved not just in the classroom but in the community. He loved to travel and regularly took students to Europe during summers. He also traveled with Barbara to the Soviet Union and Communist China. In his life, he visited six continents, embracing the challenge, adventure and joy of seeing the world. He believed deeply in learning and education, reading the newspaper each morning with a homemade hot chocolate in hand. He packed a bologna sandwich for lunch every day for years, embodying consistency and humility. He poured himself into his children's lives—sports, horses, backpacking, hunting, and rafting, including an 18-day trip through the Grand Canyon and supported a 42-day Salmon River Expedition. Pick-up basketball games with his kids became epic as he taught them the finer points of the game, never allowing them to beat him. A longtime scoutmaster, he taught by example: how to be kind, tough, and resilient. He instilled strength through lessons like hiking without water; building both character and grit. Don could speak with scholars and everyday people alike. He loved playing trumpet in school bands, singing, and playing the piano. While living in Rockwall, Texas he played the Coronet in the community band. A true Renaissance man, he was civic-minded, endlessly curious, and deeply compassionate. He believed “there are no bad kids,” and lived that belief. He quietly went about doing good, anonymously funding an LDS church play production when money was short, as just one example. Don retired in December 1991 and turned down an opportunity to lead Stanford’s teacher program, choosing instead to become a “professional father and grandfather.” He said, “I’ll never make another dollar,” because time with his family was more valuable than money. He and Barbara put many miles on their cars driving from state to state to be there for grandchildren's games, concerts, meets, and any event they were involved in. They attended so many events in Ridgway, Colorado that they were named Boosters of the Year at Ridgway High School. They once drove 22 hours, nonstop, from Texas to California, to watch a grandson race, and they drove to Boise Idaho more than once for the Idaho State High School tennis matches. They always chose love and presence over anything else. He and Barbara moved from California to Texas in 1999 to be near their daughters Jill and Natalie, then later to Colorado, and finally to Draper, Utah, where they spent the last 16 years of their lives. In Draper, Don became an honorary member of the local women’s pickleball group and made many dear friends. He loved popcorn and Coke, performing arts, dance, Music and the Spoken Word, grocery stores, and singing his made-up songs to all the babies in the family, starting from his own children, to the great-grandchildren. He also loved traveling with family and generously shared a timeshare so they could create memories together. He loved to go on cruises with his kids and paid for all of his kids for their first 7-day cruise when he retired. He loved to spend time with his family. The most he ever made at Woodside High School was $45,000 but he saved and invested his money wisely, looking forward to the day he would be able to be a full-time parent and grandparent and then great-grandparent. He was able to do everything he wanted to do and always said, “I have enough”. Don Hazard was a Marine, a scholar, an athlete, a teacher, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a Grandpa-Great—but more than any title, he was the kind of man you could count on when everything fell apart. He lived the American Dream, and in many ways, he was the American Dream. His life was one of discipline, service, fun, and unconditional love. If you were in a dark hole, Don would be the first one in to pull you out. He was a true champion, and while we will miss him deeply, his legacy lives on in his family, students, and all those lucky enough to have been loved by him. A viewing will be held on Friday, May 16, 2025 at the South Mountain 3rd Ward Chapel located at 272 Traverse Pt Dr, Draper, UT 84020 at 2:30 pm with a funeral service to follow at 4:00 pm. A graveside service will full military honors will take place at the Utah Veterans Memorial Park in Bluffdale, Utah on Monday, May 19, 2025 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers please donate to the https://donate.cancer.org

Don Edmund Hazard

December 1, 1931 - May 5, 2025