Hazel Jean Boyd Rhodes passed Saturday, November 29, 2025, Hazel was born in Martinsville, Virginia, in the Martinsville General Hospital, which once was located on Starling Ave., where the Museum of Natural History is located today.  Hazel was born on Thursday, April 18, 1940, and the date of her death was in later part of her eighty-fifth, year.  Hazel was the daughter of Walter and Gladys Rhodes Boyd, and had retired as a beautician by trade. Hazel attended Fairway Baptist Church in Bassett, until she was unable to attend due to her declining in health.

In addition to her parents, Hazel was preceded in death by her only son, Brian Kirby Rhodes, her brother, Arthur Boyd, and a sister, Doris Boyd.  Hazel leaves to cherish her memory, and legacy, two daughters, Donna Rhodes, and Norma J. Owens, her sister, Shelby Boyd Comer, five grandchildren, Stacey Baldwin, Anthony Miller, Mark, Eric Owens, and Justin Rhodes, four great grandchildren and nieces, nephews, and a host of friends.

Her long and remarkable life would awaken the interest of the historian. She was born while Franklin D. Roosevelt was President, and her family, along with other American's lived during the economic devastation of the Great Depression, during World War II, President Roosevelt, led Armed Forces into combat after the attack on Pearl Harbor. While Hazel was running in childish play, President Harry S. Truman, made the decision to drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan, which ended World War II. During President Dwight Eisenhower's presidency, the Korean War ended, and he signed the Civil Right Act of 1957, at age eighteen, Hazel and her husband Thomas Milton Rhodes, had their first child, Friday, May 23, 1958, a beautiful baby girl who they named Donna. One year and seven months later, on Monday January 25, 1960, Hazel had her second child, a bouncing baby boy, who they named Brian Kirby.

Following Brian's birth, two years, and eight months later, Monday August 5, 1963, Hazel had her third child, another beautiful baby girl, who she named Norma. Three months later that year, Hazel, along with the rest of the United States, watched as news reports announced and aired the assignation of President John F. Kennedy, on November 11, 1963, and later that day, the swearing in of Kennedy's Vice-President, Lyndon B. Johnson. During Johnson's appointment to the Oval Office, he signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act that allowed equal voting rights and created the Medicare and Medicaid program. Hazel lessoned as news medias reported on June 6, 1968, that U.S. Senator and brother of President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. At age twenty nine, Hazel watched as Richard M. Nixon became President, and during his presidency, implement a policy that ended the United States involvement in the Vietnam War; established relations with China and the Soviet Union, created the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), passed the Clean Air Act, and Hazel, was thirty four, as she watched President Nixon address the nation and resign from the presidency, August 9, 1974, amid the Watergate scandal.

Larry Fisher, owner of Roselawn Burial Park, of Martinsville, VA, opened Roselawn Chapel Funeral Home which is located inside the burial park. Roselawn Burial Park was founded in 1930 and was named though a local contest. The contest winner was Kelsie Jackson Davis, who choose six burial plots over a new automobile as a prize, and due to appendicitis, passed in January of 1932, and was one of the first to be buried in the burial park. President Gerald R, Ford, on September 8, 1974, granted full pardon to former President Richard R. Nixon, and during his presidency the Vietnam War officially ended. Hazel now at age forty witnessed the Iran Hostage Crisis, and Mother Teresa was recognized for winning the Nobel Peace Prize and for inspiring millions though her dedication to humanitarian work and service to "The poorest of the poor". Due to the Iran Hostage Crisis, which was during the presidency of Jimmy Carter, significantly impacted his presidency and contributed to his 1980 election defeat.

On January 20th, 1981, Ronald Reagan became the 40th President of the United States, and Hazel, now at forty-one, viewed the reporter's commentary regarding the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany.  President Reagan and his engagement with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, contributed to the end of the Cold War. He appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O'Conner, and in January 1986, Hazel watch on television, as he addresses the nation regarding the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger.

At age of fifty-three, Hazel watched as President Bill Clinton, defeated George H. W. Bush and became the 42nd President of the United States and his becoming the second US President to be impeached. He was impeached by the House of Representatives but acquitted by the Senate, so he remained in office. On January 20, 2001,George W. Bush, son of former President George H. W. Bush, became President, and during his presidency, Hazel now at sixty-one, stood shocked as she watched the attack on America as two commercial planes crash into the twin towers, Tuesday, September 11, 2001, and the subsequent "War on terror" which led to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Hazel along with many others throughout  Martinsville-Henry County struggled the financial crises that gripped the United States, during America's first elected black President Barack Obama, who overseen the end of the Iraq War, and authorized the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

She witnessed the first woman candidate seeking the office of President, who then had served as the U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton and the election of America's first non-traditional, and non-politically persuaded businessman, Donald J. Trump, who defeat Hillary Rodham Clinton, and became the 45th president of the United States. It was at the close of President Trump's first term, when the United States was devastated with the COVID 19 pandemic, and President Trump seeking a second term, champagning against Joseph 'Joe" Biden, was defeated by Joseph 'Joe" Biden, who had previously served as the Vice President to Barack Obama.  President Biden,  facing a  medical procedure which required him to be under sedation, and with his health concerns at the age of eighty two, made the decision to transferred the powers of the President to then Vice President Kamala Harris, on November 19, 2021, and she became the first woman, to serve as Commander and Chief of the United States for a total of 85 minutes.

President Biden became the oldest President in US history at the time he left office. On Tuesday, November 28, 2022, Hazel at age eighty-two, and Thomas, experienced one of the most devastating events in a parent's life, the death of their beloved son, Brian Kirby Rhodes, With her faith in God, and support of her two loving daughters, she pressed on though she was getting tired in body. Hazel watched as Kamala Harris, in 2024, launched her campaign for the office of President against Former President Donald J. Trump, who campaigned to serve his second term, and overwhelming defeated Harris, and became our 47th President of the United States.

Eloquences has spoken and pages have told of the heroic men and women of 1940-2025, but amid the woman of those times, whose heroism is without a parallel in human history, stood Hazel Jean Boyd Rhodes. Woman's clubs and high social events were no part of her life, yet caring for her home, family, and friends, was her mission.  May Hazel be remembered for the life she lived, work she performed and compassion she showed to others, and allow those attributes speak for her, when nothing else can be said.

Funeral services to celebrate the life lived by Hazel will be held at 1:00 P.M. Thursday, December 4, 2025, in Roselawn Chapel Funeral Home, with Director Kelly G. Ratcliff officiating. Interment will follow in Roselawn Burial Park, the family will receive friends one hour prior to service in the chapel.

Roselawn Chapel Funeral Home and Burial Park entrusted with arrangements.