Hazel Olive Gifford passed away peacefully, Wednesday, May 6th, 2026, at the Sutherland Nursing Home.

She was born March 24th,1936, in Flats, NE, to Myrtle (Pedersen) and Wallace Ebener. Hazel and her sister Margaret Gifford were born to this union.

Later her mother married Harold German. To this union she gained two sisters and two brothers: Nadine, Sharon, Lloyd and Darold German.

She went to grade school at Green Valley and in 1950 she went to High School in Arthur, NE, for her Freshman and Sophomore year. Her junior year she went to school in Paxton, NE. She graduated from Arthur, NE, in May of 1954.

On October 17,1954, Hazel married the love of her life John Henry Gifford at the Paxton Methodist Church. Hazel and John lived in the Sand Hills North of Paxton before moving to Sutherland, NE. In July of 1956, they lost an infant son Alvin John.

On July 13th,1958, Nila Mae was born. They then moved to Paxton, NE, then to Gering, NE, and finally to Ogallala, NE. On December 13th,1964, Linda Kay was born. In 1968, the family moved to Clackamas, Oregon. In 1969, they made their home in Paxton, NE.

Hazel became very active in the Paxton Community. She was a member of the Paxton United Methodist Church, Ladies Church Circle, United Methodist Women, Paxton Garden Club, Ogallala VFW and 53 years with the Paxton American Legion Auxiliary Unit 303.

Right after she was married, she worked at Goodall’s Factory in Ogallala, NE. After the family moved to Paxton. She waited tables at Elsie’s Café in Paxton, before it burned down. Then she went to work at Swede’s Corner Café. She had a little gift and flower shop where she made silk flower arrangements.

She baby sat many children around Paxton. The children loved to go to Grandma Hazel’s. Hazel also loved to bowl on bowling leagues. Hazel was very crafty. She loved sewing, gardening, cooking Holiday Meals, and working with real and silk flowers. She made flower arrangements for many weddings. John and Hazel loved to dance, especially Waltzing. They danced to John’s brother Eben Gifford and Boyd Bryant’s Hill Billy Band. She also loved going with John to all the Legion Conventions. They loved to travel and go camping with their family. Making 3 trips to the Gulf of Mexico in Texas and many trips out to California to See Nila and her family.

After John retired, they moved to North Platte, NE. After John passed, she gathered with friends in the community and played cards. In July of 2024 Hazel moved into the Rest Home at Sutherland, NE.

Hazel and John were married 51 years; before John passed away in

2005.

She is survived by her sister Margaret (Ebener) Gifford of Sutherland, NE; brothers Lloyd and Marge German of Arnold, NE, Darold and

Janice German of Chadron, NE; daughter Nila Mae Powers of Dos Palos, CA; granddaughter Kimberly Mae Powers and great-granddaughter Nila Rose Mae Powers of Sacramento, CA; grandson David John Powers Jr. of Dos Palos, CA; daughter Linda Kay Harms of Elsie, NE, and grandson Lyle Eugene Harms of Arthur, NE; step-granddaughters Tonya Powers of Manhattan, KS, Craig and Amanda (Powers) Canning of Ogallala, NE; many great-step-grandsons and great-step-granddaughters; and many nieces and nephews.

She is proceeded in death by her parents Wallace Ebener and Myrtle Mae German and step-father Harold German, husband John Henry Gifford, infant son Alvin John Gifford, infant brother Roger Dale German, 7-year-old sister Nadine Ellen German, sister Sharon Kay (German) Gandy, son-in-law Leonard Eugene Harms, and son-in-law David John Powers.

Visitation will be held Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 2-4 p.m. MT (3-5 p.m. CT) at Carpenter Memorial Chapel and Monday, May 11, 2026, from 9:30-10:00 a.m. MT (10:30-11:00 a.m. CT) at Paxton United Methodist Church. The funeral service will begin at 10 a.m. following the visitation with Pastor Mark Baldwin officiating. Burial will follow at Paxton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for future designation. Carpenter Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with arrangements.