Hazel Marie Barfoot

is honored with a Brick from Drs. Margaret Ann and Gene Hughes.

Hazel Marie Griffith was born January 23, 1913 in Greensburg, Kansas, the first child of Harry Stillwell Griffith and Hazel Gertrude (Patee) Griffith. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Iowa, living in Yorktown, Clarinda, and College Springs. Harry operated a garage in Yorktown and furnished the Town Hall next door with electricity produced by a car generator. He farmed in Clarinda and College Springs and in 1922 moved his family to the prairies of Nebraska.

It was the spring of 1922 when Harry packed his family and headed West. They shipped their furniture and horses out to Dix, Nebraska, in a railroad car. Harry and the family moved in a Ford Model "T" truck modified with a three-burner kerosene stove across the front next to the cab, a mattress on the floor, and a top covered with canvas (maybe the first motor home?).

Harry and family arrived in western Nebraska to a country barren of trees and consisting of unbroken sod. Whenever anyone spotted smoke, they would run to the water barrel, fill milk cans with water, and take the cans and gunny sacks and go to help put out the prairie fires. At that time, buffalo wallows were still visible on the land.

On September 4, 1922, Hazel entered fourth grade in Kimball County rural school District No.12. She was so excited the first day of classes that when asked her name she responded, "Hazel Marie Cricket." The following year she was promoted to sixth grade, having received credit for both grades four and five the year before.

The family lived in a washhouse while Harry built a three room "Quonset-style house," consisting of a kitchen, living room, and bedroom which was partitioned to make a two bedroom home. The land on which this home was located was soon sold and, Harry moved his family on March 28, 1925, to a parcel of land he had purchased. Harry farmed dryland wheat and also operated a blacksmith shop for a number of years. Hazel remembered helping lathe and mixing plaster for their house.

The work ethic instilled by her father remained with Hazel throughout her lifetime. As a high school student she was expected to help with chores and she drove a truck in the fields during wheat harvest. The latter represented hard work during long, hot, dusty days.

After graduation from high school, Hazel continued to live at home. Her social life included Saturday night dances at Lost Park near Harrisburg, Nebraska, where she met the man she would marry, Ruby Melvin Hughes.

Life for Ruby and Hazel was a struggle during the Great Depression of the 1930s and throughout their married life. They settled in a very small rental house in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, the first of four small houses they would eventually share, three of which were rented. Ruby, whose nickname was Shorty, took on whatever work he could find. He sold life insurance, worked in a pool hall-bowling alley, and clerked in a liquor store. His income at best never exceeded $50 per week. To this union was born one child, a son, Eugene Morgan Hughes, on April 3, 1934.

During World War II, Hazel went to work to supplement the family income. Her first job was as the check-out lady at Bailey's neighborhood grocery located around the corner from the Hughes' home. That job was beneficial because, in addition to her pay, she was able to buy nylon stockings, chocolate, and sugar, all of which were rationed. After the war, she went to work at Bomgartner's Variety Store in downtown Scottsbluff. Because of her friendly and pleasant personality, the Bomgartners put her in charge of the candy counter at the front of the store. In that capacity, Hazel became the unofficial greeter to all who entered. Her last work outside the home was in the shoe department at L.B. Murphy Co. In each of these assignments, she made a number of lifetime friends.

Hazel was courageous, frugal, ultra-conservative and kind. She was able to stretch the family's meager earnings by providing simple meals, plain clothing, and a warm, comfortable loving home. The family did not own an automobile until 1950 when son Gene purchased a 1934 Ford. Thus, travel was limited and dependent on others until that time. The first long family automobile trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, was in Hazel's youngest brother Paul's vehicle. Throughout her lifetime she, Paul, and her brother Lester and their wives Mildred and Dorothy remained very close.

Even though she was unable to participate in post-secondary education, Hazel possessed a love of learning and especially a love of reading. She encouraged Gene by reading to him as a youngster and provided strong encouragement and support for his education culminating in the Ph.D. She often talked in glowing terms of her son, "Dr. Hughes," and ultimately, "President Hughes." That pride continued throughout her lifetime. Her frugal nature continued as well and, although she owned a television set, hers was a black and white set longer than most, and she never subscribed to cable.

To see or to visit with her, one would never be able to ascertain the difficult life she led. She nursed Ruby through emphysema until 1967 when his earlier habits of chain smoking and alcohol led to his death. A woman of lesser courage, determination, and devotion would have given up long before his death, but not Hazel. Her second husband, Melvin R. "Bud" Barfoot was a kindly, generous man, huge of stature in comparison to Shorty. Hazel and Bud led a good life, full of fun and love until he was struck down with cancer. Again, Hazel nursed a loved one through an agonizing period until his death.

As a widow, Hazel lived alone in Scottsbluff in the small house her father had given her. Her wants were few and she continued to live her quiet, simple life. Religion became increasingly important in later years, as did friendships. Her dearest friend, Donna Buck, and others from her church enjoyed their Sunday outings to Cindy's Restaurant in Morrill for turkey dinner (at $4.95 complete), to the Post Playhouse at Ft. Robinson, and to the Mall in Cheyenne. She especially enjoyed visits to Flagstaff, Oak Creek Canyon, and eventually to Wichita to be with Gene and his second wife, Margaret Ann, whom she described as fun, "She makes me laugh." She also had special relationships with her grandchildren, Debbie, Greg and Lisa, and with Bud's daughter Rene and her daughter Nikki. Even though each relationship was different, she loved them equally in her own way. Hazel's death on February 13, 1995 created a serious void in the lives of her family and friends.

August 4, 1998 (for Hazel Marie Barfoot)