Hazel Boyer February 23, 1926 - April 9, 2024

Hazel Arlene Appelman was born to Charles and Anna Barnhouse Appelman on February 23, 1926 in Hawkeye, Iowa.
She was raised as a farm girl and played at the banks of the Turkey River which bordered the family farm. She and her siblings swam and found arrowheads for fun. She worked helping her mother preserve food for the winter.
She had met Bob Boyer when his family moved back to Iowa from North Dakota in about 1941. She wrote to him several times a week during WWII when he was stationed in England. After the war, they were married in December of 1945.
Their first adventure was moving to New Mexico where Bob, who had sung live on the radio, pursued a country western career with an old Air Force buddy. Not working out, they set out for California and arrived in 1946. Dad did get to sing again on KTUR.
Hazel found work at Short’s Oil Company on Front Street as a bookkeeper. Then she was on to the Turlock Journal as an “ads girl” writing advertisements for local businesses.
In 1946 she and Bob started to build their first and last home. She lived there until her death for 78 years.
In 1965 she and Bob owned Boyer’s Home and Auto (previously called Western Auto) for 17 years, when they closed shop in 1981.
In retirement they traveled and yearly went to Yuma, AZ for the winter in the motorhome Bob built from chassis and up!
Hazel loved to sew clothes for her children. She made each grandchild toys, knitted sweaters and baby blankets. She loved quilting and was working on a knitted afghan the day she passed.
Her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandson Liam were her joy. Liam made her the first in her family to have 5 living generations. She enjoyed making them cookies and “sanitches” whenever they visited.
Preceded in death by her husband, Bernard “Bob” O. Boyer, her parents, 4 sisters, 3 brothers and son-in-law Dick Haile, several nieces and nephews.
Survived by her daughter Pamela Haile, sons Robin (Debi) and Patrick (Melinda) Boyer, grandchildren Reece, Galen and Loren Haile, Jason, Chris, Danielle, Shelly, Nikki and Morgan, 21 great grandchildren and one great, great grandson and several more nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 4pm to 7pm on Tuesday, April 16, at Allen Mortuary. A funeral service will be held at 1pm on Wednesday, April 17, also at Allen Mortuary. Interment will follow.