James R.C. "Jim" Hazel

James R.C. Hazel Jr., 73, of Battle Creek, Michigan passed away Sunday, October 13, 2013, of a stroke. Jim was born in Sturgis, Kentucky, October 11, 1940 to James R.C. Hazel, Sr. and Lucille Brumfield Hazel. They came to Battle Creek when he was 2 months old. He attended Bauman School, Harper Creek Schools, and Graduated from Battle Creek Central High School, and was a graduate of Kellogg Community College, and attended Ferris State University. He also was a graduate of E.K. Williams Professional Management School and Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy. He was a Master Certified Mechanic, CEO of Jim Hazel's Citgo/Store.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Donna Jean (Wideman) Hazel; son James R.C. (Nancy) Hazel, III; grandson, Thomas Norman; granddaughter, Alyssia Hazel, and a sister, Barbara Albert. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Juliee Norman; parents; brother, Milford (Brad) Hazel, and sister, Sandra Heuer.
Jim enjoyed communicating on Facebook with friends, sharing positive greetings, watching television, NASCAR, playing cards and volunteering- always with a smile. He was a small business owner that loved what he did and the people he served. He was a true blue friend to many. He honored the people that helped him throughout his life by returning that gift to others; always remembering to pay it forward.
He was a member of Harper Creek Optimist Club, Battle Creek Rotary, Emmett Township Business Association, Historical Society, Leila Arboretum Society, and the Battle Creek Masonic Lodge #12. He contributed his time to many community groups and projects including: The Battle Creek Community Foundation, Community Integrated Recreation, Volunteer Bureau, Boy Scouts of America, Art Center, Willard Library Committee, Sherman Lake Camp – Y Center, The Food Bank, Humane Society, Red Cross, United Arts Council, United Way, Festival of Lights, Battle Creek Balloon Championship, Binder Park Zoo, Kellogg Community College Gold Key Scholarship Committee, and Calhoun Area Technology Center Advisory Committee, and more.
Some of the many awards he received include the Boy Scouts of American Silver Beaver, Optimist of the Year, Enquirer and News George Award, Chamber of Commerce Small Business of Year Award, Mason of the Year Lodge 12, Man of the Year Scene Magazine, and Battle Creek Central Hall of Fame. He was honored at the Gov. Romney Lifetime Achievement Awards by Governor Jennifer Granholm.
Visitation is Friday, October 18, 2013, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm at Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home in Battle Creek. Services will be Saturday Oct 19, at 1:00 p.m. at First Wesleyan Church, 14425 Helmer Rd. South, Battle Creek, MI. Memorials may be given to The Battle Creek Community Foundation, James R.C. and Donna Jean Hazel, Jr. Fund, 34 West Jackson St., Suite 1, Battle Creek, MI 49017.



BLUE RIBBONS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT THE BURNHAM BROOK CENTER OR THE BATTLE CREEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION........







Article appearing in the Monday, October 14, 2013 edition of the Battle Creek Enquirer



Jim Hazel knew just about everything — and everyone — in Battle Creek.

"It always pleased me when I knew something he didn't," said his long-time friend Dave Eddy, laughing. "Because he was always on top of everything."

James R.C. Hazel Jr., a Battle Creek businessman revered for his commitment to the city and his tireless efforts to give back to it, died early Sunday after suffering a stroke. He was 73.

Friends and local businesses will wear and display blue ribbons this week in his honor.

"He's a true blue friend to this community," said Brenda Hunt, president and CEO of the Battle Creek Community Foundation. "He loved this city dearly."

Hazel ran his family's gas station business for nearly a half-century but may have been better known for his loyalty to Battle Creek's schools and his work with dozens of community organizations.

His efforts have been recognized by numerous groups, including the Volunteer Center in 1985 and the Enquirer, which honored Hazel with its annual George Award in 1988. In 2007, he was a finalist for the Gov. George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award at the Governor's Service Awards.

The community leader was also heavily involved with the Boy Scouts of America for more than 60 years and with the Battle Creek Rotary and Harper Creek Optimist Clubs.

Hazel became involved with the Battle Creek Community Foundation more than 20 years ago after he and his wife, Donna Jean, lost their 28-year-old daughter Juliee to a form of cancer linked to a hereditary metabolic disorder called hemochromatosis, which prevents proper processing of iron in the body and often leads to joint pain, arthritis and other conditions.

Through the foundation, the Hazels set up a memorial fund to honor their daughter.

"His leadership to the Battle Creek Community Foundation — single-handedly, he has connected more people to the community foundation than anyone," Hunt said.

Hazel was known for inspiring leadership in his friends, both old and new.

Eddy, a long-time co-host of WBCK radio's morning show, said Hazel called on the air a lot, "giving me hell about this or that," he said, laughing. He said Hazel's work was scheduled to be honored by the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation in April, and their fishing group named him fisherman of the year just last week.

It was through Hazel that he became involved with the community foundation, said Eddy, who called their friendship "tremendous." He said Hazel was a "true gem" to the community whose contributions can't be measured.

"He contributed his life," said Eddy. "He really did."

Russ Mawby, former CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, said Hazel was a "very special friend" who always saw the positive in life.

"You just saw Jim and Donna at activities, being engaged," he said. "Just not spectators, but working. Contributing. I always marveled at how Jim was able to do this."

Linda Linke, former executive director of Community Inclusive Recreation who now heads E³ Achievement, said Hazel has been a long-time mentor who knew how connect the community. Very few people are as compassionate and as involved in the community as Hazel was, she said.

"If you ever wanted a project you're working on out in the community, " Linke said, "you always talked to Jim Hazel Jr. first, because you knew Jim was going to share the good work that you're doing with everybody else."

Vince Pavone, owner of Lakeview Ford-Lincoln, said he met Hazel through the Harper Creek Optimist Club when he moved to Battle Creek three years ago. Hazel quickly became a mentor to him, he said, and inspired others by "pushing them to do more."

Last year, Hazel was involved in the planning of the Starry Safari, a fundraiser for Binder Park Zoo. What was originally prepared to be a small raffle to raise a couple thousand dollars turned out to be a much larger event that brought famous zoologist and TV host Jack Hanna to Battle Creek — because Hazel "challenged the group in a real subtle way," Pavone said.

"(Battle Creek) is losing their heart," he said. "But he's done so much in the community to make sure that there are other heartbeats that can replace his. And that's his true gift."

But while Hazel served as the source of motivation for many, he, too, was inspired by others. In a 2003 interview with the Enquirer, he said those who have supported him in the past helped him pursue his goals as a businessman.

"If it wasn't for them, where would I be today?" Hazel said. "They saw something in me. They had belief in me."

He was also well-known for his support of local schools, a commitment born from his experience as a teen.

Hazel was part of the first class of Harper Creek Junior High, where he was student council president. He graduated from Battle Creek Central High School and was one of the first recipients of a scholarship offered by the Binda Foundation, allowing him to go to Kellogg Community College and what is now Ferris State University. Hazel didn't finish until returning later in life to earn his associate's degree — something Jim Hazel III said his father thought was too important not to complete.

A native of Sturgis, Ky., Hazel's family moved to Battle Creek in search of jobs after his father stopped working in the coal mines of West Virginia. His father opened a gas station in 1951 at the corner of Golden Avenue and Beadle Lake Road, where Hazel began working at age 11. He and his brother Milford would catch crickets and worms to sell to fishermen, and they would also wash cars and school buses.

Hazel later built what is now the Citgo service station at 14301 Beadle Lake Road.

Hazel told the Enquirer a decade ago that his father instilled the saying in his head, "You can't go to the well without remembering the well digger." Hazel's own son, Jim Hazel III, said because his father knew hardship, he knew the importance of giving back to the community.

"He knew he wouldn't have got to do a lot of things he did without people helping him out," he said.

In a recent interview with Eddy, Hazel described his life and volunteer work in Battle Creek, saying people don't have to be rich to make a difference in the community.

"I don't think, Jim, that there's any organization in this whole community that you haven't touched in some way or another," Eddy said to Hazel.

"I've been blessed, yes," Hazel replied. "I've been blessed."