Hazel Rose Griffin
96, of Fort Smith passed away Friday, Sept. 5, 2008, in Fort Smith. She was born April 2, 1912 in Rosedale, Arkansas, the daughter of Frank and Clara Mae Shrader Rose. Her family came to Arkansas on one of the Trail of Tears journeys and her grandfather homesteaded land in Washington and Crawford counties. Her grandfather and father pioneered the first Masonic lodge in that region. She was orphaned at the age of 10 and had to help raise her brothers and sisters. She learned to pick cotton and worked as a machinist in the shipyards at San Diego during World War II. She is preceded in death by her siblings, Dessie Naomi Rose Holt, Clara Ethel Rose Archibald, Sarah Lou Rose Lamadrid and Charley Bill Rose.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 8, 2008, at Fentress Mortuary Chapel with burial to follow at Garrett Creek Cemetery near Natural Dam. Arrangements are under the direction of Fentress Mortuary Chapel of Fort Smith.
She is survived by three daughters, Jane Rose Griffin Gibson of Anchorage, Alaska, Rebecca Sharon Griffin Squire of Little Rock and Doris Jean Griffin Nichols of Fillmore, Calif.; one son, Loyd Olen Griffin of Huntington; and one brother, Ray James Rose of Roland. She also has 11 grandchildren, Steven Loyd Griffin, Sunday Lea Griffin Lorenz, Danielle Terrazo Oliver, Michelle Terrazo, Franklin Scott Gamble, Stacy Lee Gamble, Andrew Ray Gamble, Michael Lowery Nichols, Matthew Loy Nichols, Melissa Ann Squire and Robert Justin Squire; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Fentress Mortuary.
To sign an online guestbook, please visit www.fentressmortuary.com