Hazel A. Burge

August 30, 1919 - January 22, 2021

Hazel A. Burge was born on her family’s farm near Calumet, Oklahoma on August 30, 1919. She was the sixth of seven children born to Ludvig (Louie) J. and Hattie (Shields) Andersen. Her father emigrated from Denmark with his family at the age of seven and her mother was a native Oklahoman and of Native American descent. The family farm was a quarter section of land that she received as an Indian land allotment signed by President Benjamin Harrison when Hattie was in pigtails. Hazel died on January 22, 2021, at the age of 101 years, 4 months and 23 days. Hazel attended a one-room school near her home through the eighth grade and then graduated from Calumet High School in 1937. While in high school, she met the love of her life and future husband. She graduated from Oklahoma College for Women (now University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha) in 1941 with a BS in Business Administration. After college, Hazel worked in the accounting department at Boeing in Wichita, Kansas while waiting for the war to end and the return of that boy from high school. Hazel married George M. Burge on October 27, 1945; celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary before his death in July 2016. They raised three children together. In 1964, she began a second career as an elementary school teacher in Belleville, Kansas. Hazel obtained her MS from Kansas State University in 1970 and retired from USD 427 in Belleville in 1984. They relocated to Topeka, Kansas in 1984 to be closer to grandchildren. Hazel was a member of the West Side Christian Church in Topeka, the Topeka Area Retired Teachers Association, the AAUW, the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary and she loved to play bridge. Hazel was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, George, two brothers and four sisters. She is survived by her daughter, Nancy L. Burge, Topeka; son, G. Wayne Burge, Kansas City, Missouri; son, John Warren Burge (Janelle), Olathe, Kansas; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Funeral service will be 1 p.m. Thursday, January 28, 2021, at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka KS 66614, where visitation will be one-hour prior. Burial will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, masks and social distance are absolutely required. Funeral will be live streamed on the funeral home Facebook page. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the Topeka Presbyterian Manor Good Samaritan Fund or West Side Christian Church and sent in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent online to www.kevinbrennanfamily.com.