Hazel Henderson

Keene, N.D. ó Visita-

tion for Hazel Henderson,

92, will be held Sunday,

September 26, 2021 from

12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at

Fulkerson-Stevenson

Memorial Chapel in Wat-

ford City, ND. Funeral

services will be held Mon-

day, September 27, 2021

at 11 a.m. at The Rough

Rider Center in Watford

City, ND. Remembrances,

condolences and pictures

may be shared with the

family at www.

fulkersons.com.

Hazel passed away on

Saturday, September 18,

2021, at her home in

Keene, ND.

Hazel Caroline Lovaas

was born in McKenzie

County, North Dakota on

April 6, 1929. She passed

away at home, Saturday,

September 18, 2021.

Hazel was 92 years old.

Hazel was born at home

near Berg, ND as the

second child of five to

Clarence and Bertha

(Borreson) Lovaas. She be-

gan school at 5 years of

age near Noonan, ND. The

school was short one stu-

dent to meet the

minimum attendance that

year; Hazel filled the seat

and started her education

a bit earlier than normal.

The remainder of her ele-

mentary education was

completed at Sandstone

School located about a

mile from the family farm.

She would go on to attend

Sheyenne River Academy

near Harvey, ND. She

would later receive her di-

ploma from Mt. Ellis

Academy, Bozeman, MT

in 1967.

Hazel and Paul were

married in a church par-

sonage in Williston, ND

on August 28, 1948. They

purchased a registered

Arabian stud colt (Hak-

eim) and a new spinet pi-

ano as they began their

life together. This was just

the beginning of a shared

passion for horses. In later

years, Hakeim was joined

by a registered Appaloosa

(Pogo) and a Shetland

pony (Magic General Pat-

ton AKA Noodles). These

joined a herd of other rid-

ing and breeding horses

which at times numbered

up to 60 head.

They began ranching on

a property purchased

from Paul’s uncle, Earl

Henderson. During the

early years, Hazel and

Paul spent hours in con-

stant companionship by

riding together to check

livestock welfare and

gather for fall roundup on

the Fort Berthold Reserva-

tion. Cattle were trailed to

either old Sanish or

Killdeer and then shipped

to market by train to

stockyards in Chicago, IL

or St Paul, MN. Later in

life, her saddle was taken

to the saddle shop for

repairs. The saddle maker

looked at it and remarked,

“This saddle has been rid-

den a million miles.” Not

abused – just well used.

On one occasion while

attempting to sort cattle

into like-brand bunches,

several riders were sitting

on a ridge talking. The

riders’ presence was mak-

ing the sorting difficult

because they were located

right where the cows

needed to cross to their

respective groups. Hazel

rode up and told them in

no uncertain terms that

they needed to move be-

cause they were in the

way. She later discovered

the group was partially

made up of Page Baker

Sr., Lee Hall, and Paul’s

uncle Earl Henderson.

She said they gave her a

long look and moved to a

less intrusive location.

Years later she admitted

her embarrassment when

she realized her oversite

in recognition of the

respected gentlemen that

day.

Making hay consumed a

large amount of time dur-

ing the summers, but it

was almost always done

together. Hazel embraced

all parts of ranch life, but

she found extra joy in bal-

ing hay. One summer,

while working with a

sickle section she ac-

cidently cut off the end of

her thumb. She tightly

held her glove containing

the end of her thumb

against the cut until she

reached the doctor. He

stitched and taped the

thumb back together

without separating the

wound and it slowly

healed with minimal is-

sues. [piece of grass]

Hazel’s married life was

filled with many activities

including attending horse

shows, operating pony

rides at the McKenzie

County Fair, riding pas-

tures, canning food, rais-

ing children, and prepar-

ing income taxes. She also

enjoyed many community

activities such as pie and

box socials, shiveries, Va-

cation Bible School,

Home Makers Club, and

working cattle with near-

by ranchers. For two

winters James and Hazel

commuted to Watford

City to attend a Red Cross

training for first aid. This

proved to be very benefi-

cial on numerous occa-

sions.

After 10 years of mar-

riage and keeping up with

their busy lifestyle, Paul

began having physical is-

sues. Tests indicated Mul-

tiple Sclerosis like symp-

toms. With this diagnosis,

began a new series of

challenges. While Paul

was learning to navigate

with physical limitations,

Hazel faced the task of

operating the ranch with

limited help from her

partner. Paul decided that

AI-ing the cows would be

a profitable venture, so off

to Wisconsin and AI

school Hazel went where

she learned to be an AI

tech. That began long

sleepless months of heat

detecting and breeding

cows.

Paul, the love of her

life, passed away Sep-

tember 1977, leaving a

large void in the family

structure and her life.

Hazel, with the help of

their seven children, con-

tinued to manage the

ranch. It was not uncom-

mon for Hazel and the

kids to halter-break 15 or

more new foals every

spring. Summer work

seemed never ending with

hay to cut, stack, and haul

while keeping a close

watch on the cattle.

Winter brought more

challenges with cold

weather and livestock to

feed. She continued to

ride horse as much as she

could but later shifted to a

four-wheeler. When that

became difficult, she re-

lied on Kimber to chauffer

her around the ranch and

neighborhood.

During her life, Hazel

loved to tell children’s

stories for church as well

as play the piano, accor-

dion, and guitar. Her

talent and love for baking

bread and rolling lefsa

was known and appreciat-

ed by anyone who hap-

pened to stop by. Around

1975, she coordinated

with orchards on the west

coast to bring truckloads

of fruit to North Dakota to

resell. For years, Hazel

and Kimber travelled

around the community

selling fruit and visiting

with people. The fruit

trailer and Kimber and

her smiling faces were

known far and wide.

Throughout her life,

Hazel made Jesus and her

faith in Him central. Fre-

quently she talked of how

thankful she had learned

about Jesus and that she

could trust Him with her

life and the lives of her

family. With verses

underlined and notes in

the margins, Hazel’s Bible

was never far from reach

and painted a picture of

her unwavering belief.

Even before she took her

last breath, she quietly

knelt by her chair.

Hazel maintained an ac-

tive and fulfilled life until

shortly before her death.

She died at home on the

ranch that she loved un-

conditionally.

Hazel was preceded in

death by her parents,

Clarence and Bertha Lo-

vaas; husband, Paul

Henderson; brother, Leo

Lovaas; sister, Sally Fore-

man; and grandson, Justin

Henderson.

Hazel is survived by:

sons – James (Carolyn)

Henderson of Keene, ND;

Dennis (Cindy) Hender-

son of Minot, ND; Larry

(Barbara) Henderson of

Milton-Freewater, OR;

Steve (Josyln) Henderson

of Fargo, ND; Kimber

Henderson, of Keene ND;

daughters – Patsy (Dan)

Gabbert of Hermosa, SD;

Penny (David) Pitman of

Williston, ND; Donna

(Wayne) Foreman of Wat-

ford City,ND; brothers –

Robert (Shirley) Lovaas of

Watford City, ND; Don

(Bonnie) Lovaas of Keene,

ND; and numerous

grandchildren, great

grandchildren, and

several great great

grandchildren.