Hazel Perry Daiber

Hazel Perry Daiber, 99, of Bucyrus, passed peacefully on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at the Inn at Orchard Park, where she had been loved and cared for the past 14 years.



Hazel was born August 3, 1921 in Trinway, Ohio to the late Rev. Arthur and Helen (Reisinger) Perry. As a pastor’s daughter, Hazel grew up in parsonages in Coshocton, Dayton, Wooster, and Mansfield. She was a 1939 graduate of Roosevelt High School and received her bachelor’s degree from Olivet Nazarene University in 1944. Hazel was a gifted pianist, playing everything from classical music to hymns. She was often the pianist in the churches where her father pastored. One Sunday evening at her father’s Mansfield church, a young man named Robert W. Daiber caught her eye and they were introduced by his sister. On February 12, 1949, they married and shared nearly 57 years of marriage before his death on January 31, 2006.



Hazel was a longtime second grade teacher who taught in the Col. Crawford, Mt. Zion and Lucas school districts. She was a progressive educator who was well ahead of her time. She retired in 1986 following 23 years of positively impacting young lives. After retirement, Hazel continued teaching meaningful life lessons and offering sound advice to those around her.



With her deep faith, Hazel prayed for family and friends daily. She enjoyed worshiping at both the Chatfield Evangelical Pietist Church and the Bucyrus Nazarene Church, where she was active in the children’s ministry for many years. She was a member of the Lambda Chapter Delta Kappa Gamma Society and the Crawford County Retired Teachers Association.



Family came first in Hazel’s life, loving each one whole heartedly. Time spent with her family was most treasured. Whether a simple visit, a special day planned or a holiday get together, Hazel delighted in sharing food and laughter. When it came to planning holiday events, Hazel, an excellent cook, began months in advance and included each family member's favorite dish. Hazel will be remembered for her dark brown eyes and magnetic smile, both of which would so easily melt hearts. She had a gift for bringing out the best in others. She loved reading, was innately curious, and was always interested in learning something new. She embraced technology eagerly, as it gave her more ways to keep up and communicate with others.



Hazel will be deeply missed by her daughters, Alita (Jim) Phillips of Bucyrus, Dr. Roberta (Dr. Bruce) Granger of Hinsdale, IL and Sheree McCullough of Chicago, IL; grandchildren, Alison (Marc) Kovac of Worthington, Heidi Manna of Brookshire, TX, Jared (LeAnn) Phillips of Sammamish, WA and Claire Granger of Hinsdale, IL; great grandchildren, Preston, Alita and Emil Kovac of Worthington, Joslyn and Laken Manna of Brookshire, TX and Logan and William Phillips of Sammamish, WA; numerous nieces and nephews; special cousins, Josephine Markel and Marilyn Wahl; sisters-in-law, Mabel Kirby, Roma Keller and Joyce (Richard) Brown along with her caregivers, Amy, Anita, Beth, Charlene, Dody, Grace, Judy, Melissa, and Stephanie, referred to as “Team Hazel” as they loved Hazel dearly and cared for her with dedication. Hazel was preceded in death by five siblings, Ada, Viola, Clyde, Clarence, and Inez.



Due to current Covid concerns, all services will be private. Those wishing to remember Hazel can make donations payable to either Macular Degeneration Research, Chatfield Evangelical Pietist Church or to the Bucyrus Nazarene Church. These gifts will be accepted through Wise Funeral Service and memories are encouraged to be shared on Hazel’s tribute wall.