Hazel Marie Makell

Hazel Marie Makell, eldest daughter of her late parents Robert Russell Makell and Viola Bell
Makell, born June 5, 1944, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania went home to her maker during the
early morning hours on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. She had just celebrated her 79 th birthday on
June 5 th . She was educated in the Philadelphia Catholic School System during all her grammar
and high school years. She graduated with honors from John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High
School.
Hazel was the oldest of five girls and lived in Philadelphia all her life. She was a very
independent woman early on. She owned her own home and loved cats; her favorite was
Samba. She enjoyed doing puzzles and reading as she found both kept her mind sharp as she
was always looking to improve her mind. She loved ‘food shopping’ at our mother’s house and
especially enjoyed roasted chicken, sweet potato pies and her father’s spice cake.
Her favorite television program was The Big Bang Theory and if you made a phone call to her
while she was watching it, she would tell you she was watching it and promptly hang up the
phone. She enjoyed traveling to North Carolina with Gregory and Connie for some peace and
quiet time in North Carolina. She even talked about moving there. She also traveled to
California to visit her two sisters, brother-in-law and Hollywood.
Hazel strongly believed in philanthropy and donated to numerous causes as she believed in
uplifting people and supporting causes. During her professional career, she enjoyed various
jobs, one was serving as a Literacy Tutor at the John Wistar Elementary School and Samuel
Pennypacker Elementary School. Her most fulfilling life’s work was as a Social Worker for the
City of Philadelphia Prison System. She officially retired, after 35 years, in January 2002.
Hazel spent her last remaining months at Wesley Enhanced Living at Pennypack Park until her
declining health caused her to be moved to hospice. She was preceded in death by her sister,
Patricia and leaves to cherish her memory her sisters: Pamela, Barbara and Christine; her
brother-in-law Charles, her great niece Tanya Marie who cared for her prior to and throughout
her remaining years and a host of relatives and friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Hazel Marie Makell, please visit our floral store.