Hazel Mccurdy

Hazel Gilmore McCurdy (1927 to 2017) died on December 1, 2017, in her Lowndesboro home where she was surrounded by family.  The beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother was born and raised in Coffeeville, Alabama, but she spent the majority of her life in Lowndes County.  Hazel is survived by her sons Ed McCurdy, Jr. (Patti) of Selma; Keith McCurdy (Lynne) of Eclectic; and Reese McCurdy (Julie) of Lexington, South Carolina.  She is preceded in death by her son Jeff McCurdy and her husband Edward McCurdy, both of Lowndesboro.  Her grandchildren are Sarah Peyton Weiss (John Ward), Sellars McCurdy (Joanna), Miranda McCurdy, Kaitlyn McCurdy, Mary Kendall McCurdy, Margaret McCurdy, Caroline McCurdy, and Reese McCurdy, Jr.  Within the past year, Hazel proudly welcomed her first great-grandson Edward Sellers McCurdy, IV “Mac”, the son of Sellars and Joanna McCurdy of Birmingham.

Hazel Gilmore received her Master of Arts in Secondary Education from the University of Alabama on August 24, 1951.  Prior to a Master’s degree, she earned her undergraduate degree in Education at Livingston University. While teaching in Selma, Hazel met and married Edward S. McCurdy of Lowndesboro on August 11, 1957.  The couple married in the First United Methodist Church of Demopolis so that the ceremony could be attended by her elderly mother Cordelia Woodham Gilmore whose healthcare was centered in Demopolis.  Hazel’s life was distinguished by the compassion, guidance, and unconditional love she provided all the members of her family.

Hazel McCurdy dedicated her professional life to education.  After her marriage and move to Lowndesboro, she taught at Hayneville High School followed by a long career at Lowndes Academy.  Her classroom instruction in both History and English positively affected generations of students.  Hazel also believed in the importance of self-education. Over the course of a lifetime of learning, her travel destinations led her throughout the U.S and to England, France, Germany, Greece, Egypt, Japan, South Korea and China.

The family wishes to recognize and thank Hazel’s caregivers, Pat Bell, Doreen Smith, Sherwanda Hyde, and Shirley Williams for their dedicated support and care over the past years.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to either St. Paul’s Episcopal Church or The Alzheimer’s Association in her memory.

The family will receive visitors from 5 pm to 6pm on Sunday, December 3rd and at 1 pm on Monday, December 4th both at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lowndesboro. Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 4th at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 2pm with graveside immediately following at Oakview cemetery in Lowndesboro with Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home directing.