ALBA - Hazel Laverne Panter, life-long Texas resident, life-long Southern Baptist, and life- long Democrat died on Oct. 17 in Wood County. She was 101.
Hazel was born August 29, 1913, to Flossie Mae and Lemuel Webb Poston near the Colony community in Rains County. She married Andrew “Perley” Panter in 1933, and they raised four children, Betty Gail Hayes, Marianna Plumb, Don Poston Panter and Joe Webb Panter in Alba.
Hazel was the valedictorian of the 1931 Rains County graduating class. An avid thirst for learning and love of teaching was a constant in Hazel’s life; she taught Sunday school at First Baptist Alba for 70 years. She valued greatly a Christian education and was committed that all of her children would attend Baylor. Hazel’s oldest child, Betty, was the first in the family to go to college and since then, 20 members of her family have gone to college. In 2007 Hazel was named a Baylor Alumnus By Choice to honor the Baylor tradition she started and the legacy of Christian education that continues.
Hazel worked at Delroy’s Grocery Store and Haisten’s Grocery in Alba for more than 30 years. (Her grandchildren loved to visit her at work because they got to pick out candy.) Hazel was a charter member of the Emory Gardening Club. Her family remembers her for her tireless work ethic, her modest and unconquerable spirit, and her love of the color yellow.
Hazel’s fierce love for the Lord was evident to all who knew her, and her unwavering faith continues to be an inspiration to many. With an ever-growing prayer list that would expand to encompass everyone she encountered, her family remembers Hazel praying throughout the day for family, community and the international missionaries whose birthdays she’d hear announced each year on the radio programs she followed.
Hazel was preceded in death by her siblings, Gilley Granville Poston and Katie Mozelle Ingram, husband, Perley in 1971 and son, Don Poston Panter in 1982. She is survived by her 12 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren and two more on the way. Hazel counted her family as her greatest treasure.
Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday at Wilson-Bartley Funeral Home, Alba, and services will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church Alba with Dr. Bob Sexton officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Alba. Her grandchildren will act as pallbearers. Hazel’s family has commemorated her with this life retrospective: http://hazelpanter.life/
The family requests memorial donations be made to the Hazel Poston Panter Endowed Scholarship fund at Baylor University, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, or the First Baptist Church Alba building fund.
Donate online to the Hazel Poston Panter Endowed Scholarship Fund at https://www.baylor.edu/give/index.php?id=49837&a=3&f=443SFEJ
or by mail University Development, One Bear Place #97050, Waco, Texas 76798-7050
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering http://imb.org/main/lottie-moon/default.asp
First Baptist Alba Fund, 219 E Holley St, Alba, TX 75410 (903) 765-2471.

Wilson-Bartley Funeral Home
300 W. Holley Street, P.O. Box 380
Alba, Texas 75410
903-765-2311
Fax 903-765-2512