John Lester Hazel

John Lester Hazel, age 61, of Battle Creek passed away on Monday, May 3, 2021 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo with his beloved partner by his side. John was born in Marshall, Michigan the son of Jerry Lee Hazel and Vera Louise (White) Hazel on May 28, 1959 .

John graduated from Harper Creek High School. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Physics and a Masters degree in Materials Science from Western Michigan University, and after he served in the National Guard Reserve. John was Honorably Discharged from the United States Army as 1LT SC United States Army Reserve in 1999.

John was a dedicated father, intentional about raising his daughters to be brave, strong, smart and kind. He was a "stay at home dad," and always made time to support athletic and artistic endeavors. He coached elementary school basketball and youth soccer for a few years, and also spent time pursuing his own athletic activities like wind surfing, canoe racing, including completing the Au Sable Canoe Marathon in 2014.

He enjoyed designing and building racing canoes, experimental cooking and horticulture, and critiquing craft beer while watching movies. His outdoor activities were never too far from Keeki, his trusty cat. He could never pass up a thrift store and had an eye for a good deal. He was a scientist at heart and always working on a new project. Sometimes it was a new speaker setup, an indoor and outdoor pergola, growing hops or experimenting to find the perfect compost environment for cooking scraps. He frequently took road trips, was always on the look out for fun and was constantly cracking jokes.

John is survived by his fiancé, Bonnie J. Vallance; his mother, Vera Louise Hazel; his sister, Karen Marie (Hazel) Adams and husband, TC Adams; his brother, James Lawrence Hazel and wife, Sharon Hazel; and his two children, Emily Vera Hazel and fiancé, Antonio Lamont Mitchell II, and Amanda Violet (Hazel) Bashore and husband, Alec Bashore; his grandson, Atlas Clifford Bashore; and his honorary son, Vincent Cimadori and wife, Allie Cimadori. He was preceded in death by his father Jerry Lee Hazel.

A private family memorial service was held on Wednesday May 12, 2021 at Floral Lawn Memorial Gardens in Battle Creek, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to Companion Cats, Battle Creek. Personal messages for the family and/or favorite memories of John may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.