Hazel E. Lightel

Hazel E. Lightel, 99, of New Philadelphia, died Thursday, June 30, 2005, at New Dawn Health Care Center in Dover, O.A daughter of the late James L. and Minda Couts Edie, Hazel was born November 3, 1905 in New Philadelphia, O. She married her husband the late Byron E. Lightel in April of 1927 loosing him to multiple sclerosis in 1963.Hazel was a 1923 graduate of New Philadelphia High School. She received a 2-year teaching degree from Tri-State College and put her education and talent to practice, teaching 8 grades in one room at Schafley School in Possum Hollow south of New Philadelphia. She continued her formal education at Kent State University obtaining a B.A. and a Masters in Education. Her career in education spanned 30 years, retiring at the age of 76 after teaching in Goshen Twp., Dover City Schools, New Philadelphia City Schools and other county schools. In addition, she was a psychologist and counselor for several school districts including Wooster, Tuscarawas County, Marietta City, Tuscarawas Central Catholic, Sacred Heart and New Philadelphia. During WWII she was a chemist for Republic Steel, and then was a business woman owning and operating Lightel’s Children’s Shop in downtown New Philadelphia during the 1940’s and 1950’s leaving it to return to teaching. Hazel was an avid Civil War buff and belonged to the Tuscarawas Valley Civil War Roundtable, the Tuscarawas County Historical Society, the Ohio Historical Society, the Tuscarawas County Genealogical Society, and the Tuscarawas Chapter of the National Society of Andersonville. She was also a member of the Dover-Phila. Business & Professional Women’s Club, a life member of Ohio Retired Teachers Assoc., a life member of the National Education Assoc., and an honorary member of the Union Grange 65.She is survived by two sons, Eugene (June) Lightel of West Middlesex Pa., and David L. (Pam) Lightel of Cuyahoga falls, O.; two sisters, Mary Jane Hency of New Phila. and Arline Covey of Arlington Va.; 15 grandchildren; 7 step-grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and 7 step-great-grandchildren.In addition to her parents and her husband, she is preceded in death by one sister, Florence Fogle and 4 brothers, Byron Edie, Russell Edie, John Edie, and Richard Edie.Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. Services will be held Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at the Broadway United Methodist Church in New Philadelphia with Rev. William Sowers officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen Burial Park in New Philadelphia. A reception will be held at the church following the committal.