Donald R. Hazelton of Pike County passed away on June 17, 2020, at age 87.

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Donald Ray was born to Baxter and Thelma (Jerrell) Hazelton in October of 1932.

He was a devoted husband to his surviving wife Hilda (Matzig) of 64 years; and loving father to daughters: Debby Osgatharp and Dianne Elmore. Also surviving is a sister Dora Tretter. Baxter Delbar & Thelma Olive also had 4 other sons pass: James, Delber, John, and Daniel.

Also preceding Don in passing was one adopted son, Walter, who is survived by wife, Cindy, and children: Amber (and Duriel Milton, and children-Cinnamon, King & Joplin); Holly (and children-Mateo, Marcelles & Leah); Ashley (and children — Aniyah & Kenyan); Tommy (and son-Kameron); and Jeremy, a step-son.

Daughter Debby and her children: Stacey Williams-and children Natalie Ramirez (with Robert and children Roan and Airiana); Nathan and Ryan;  Emily (and husband Aaron and boys: Silas, Bryce, and Ryker): and Ethan.

Daughter Dianne (and Tom) and sons: Reggie Elmore (wife Sandy) and son-Jeffery; and B.J. Elmore (wife Megan)

Don was also a Veteran and awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Army Occupational Medal (Germany) due in part to his research and development in perfecting military radar defense systems overseas.  He was a S/SGT 1st class in the USAF.  He’d enlisted in the military in Washington upon graduating from Otwell H.S. in May, 1950 and went to Active Duty Dec.1951 in Erding, Germany, until Dec. 1955, where he met his wife and married in 1956.

He attended college and was a member of an honorary scholastic fraternity Mu Tu Kappa, at Oakland City University where he was a senior in 1961 and took graduate classes in the summers of 1963 and 1964 toward Masters Degrees in Math, Physics, and Chemistry from Bowling Green State University, OH.  With his degrees, Mr. Hazelton went on to teach in the Physical Sciences: Physics, Chemistry, Science & Technology, Engineering and Math at Otwell H.S. 8/61-5/63; Petersburg H.S. 8/63-8/64; & Washington, IN 8/64-8/66 before going to work for the Federal Government-U.S. Navy NSWC Crane from 6/66-4/94, where he worked as a research chemist in the areas of chemical sciences, engineering and as a pyrotechnic developer.

Throughout his life he worked on his family’s farm and was truly a great man.  He will be dearly missed!

Services for Don will take place at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 20, at Walnut Hills Cemetery in Petersburg.

Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET at Harris Funeral Home in Petersburg before the service. The public is asked to practice social distancing. Harris Funeral Home is entrusted with care.