Hazel Marie (Hamlin) Cole

WINSLOW – Hazel Marie (Hamlin) Cole went to be with her Loving Lord on Jan. 1, 2022, peacefully at home. Thankful for help from friends, neighbors, church family and Maine General Hospice, Hazel was able to enjoy and live out her life in her Winslow home as was her wish.

She was born March 24, 1926, in Center Vassalboro, Maine, daughter of the late Roland Grey Hamlin and Edna Mae (Desmond) Hamlin. During her school years and after graduating from East Vassalboro Grammar School and Erskine Academy, she was active in church works and The Youth Group at the Center Vassalboro Community Baptist Church. She was member of the Center Vassalboro Ladies Aid and a member of the Getchell Street Baptist Church in Waterville.

Hazel was home one week after graduating from Erskine Academy June 1945 and then went to work at W.B. Arnold Hardware Store on Main in Waterville as a cashier. In January 1946 she went to work for the Morning Sentinel on Silver Street in Waterville in the circulation Dept. She retired from the Morning Sentinel in January 1984.

When dating Murray Burpee Cole in 1964, she realized that she may have taken his place as cashier at W.B. Arnold Hardware Store in 1946 because he had left there for a better paying job. Hazel married Burpee on June 12, 1965, at The Center Vassalboro Baptist Church.

Burpee and Hazel raised purebred Boxer dogs, for many years. They took their Boxers, after obedience classes, to Dog Shows as handlers, bred by exhibitors, etc. and many ribbons were won. Trips were taken to Dog Shows in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, and Canada. There were eleven Boxer Dogs at the Cole’s residence through the years from 1972 to 2015 that were part of the family, and 60 puppies were sold. When raising a healthy Boxer puppy, at eight weeks they are ready to go to a new home. Hazel and Burpee made sure that the puppies would be in a dog loving home with the new owners.

Volunteering at nursing homes with their therapy dogs were special days, to help cheer the patients up. Those that loved dogs had their day made happier by a visit. Visiting Togus V.A. Hospital with Tickles or Twinkles their Hearing Ear Dogs, helped to cheer the Veterans up. Both dogs loved people and knew what to do to make the residents happy. They knew the commands sit and stay, also would bow, or shake hands when a command was given. Boat rides from Booth Harbor were always special days to look forward to. Fashion Love a female Boxer went on The Blue Nose Cruise. Tickles a male had a rough ride on the Cat Ferry.

Hazel liked to sew, knit, crochet, and care for houseplants. She was deeply religious reading the bible and devotions daily. She and her husband Burpee enjoyed woodworking and making items for craft shows. Fun times together were had taking their puppies on camping trips to Sewall Campground in Acadia National Park. On separate trips Tickles and Twinkles were taken to Jordan Pond House. The waiters and waitresses loved those dogs. We enjoyed the popovers, strawberry jam, and tea at Acadia National Park in Maine, truly Gods’ country. She enjoyed the prayers, support, calls and fellowship from members of Getchell Street Baptist Church, Center Vassalboro Baptist Church, and Vassalboro Full Gospel Church.

She was predeceased by her brothers, William Melvin Hamlin and Charles Desmond Hamlin and sisters Helen May (Hamlin) Greene, Dorothy Thelma (Hamlin) Boynton, Gladys Ruth (Hamlin) Smith, and her beloved husband, Murray Burpee Cole. Hazel is survived by her sister-in-law, Hazel B. Hamlin of Ohio, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, and great grandnieces and great grandnephews. All loved by their Aunt Hazel.

There will be a graveside service in the summer at Howard Cemetery in Winslow.

Arrangements are in the care of the Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, 107 Main St. Fairfield where memories may be shared, and an online register book signed by visiting http://www.familyfirstfuneralhomes.com.