Hazel Ellen McMahan of Abilene passed from this life into the arms of Jesus on May 5, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. She was 99 years of age, just a short time away from celebrating 100 years of life.
Mrs. McMahan was born on July 4, 1924, in Hamlin, Texas, to Thomas L. Burton Conner and Rosa Carolina Styles Conner, the seventh of ten children. She was married to Hugh Richard "Dick" McMahan on August 9, 1940, in Hamlin, and this union was blessed with son Richard and daughters Ellen and Bobbie.
She is best described as a beautiful, sweet lady, in every sense of the words. She loved people, loved laughter, and everyone loved her. She honored and served her Lord faithfully throughout her lifetime, took her children to church, and taught them the Golden RULES always, just as she demonstrated to them by the way she lived her life. She was truly a role model for her family. She married at the young age of sixteen and had her three children by age 21; she stayed home with them and taught them of Jesus' love reading from the Bible. She took tremendous pride in her home and in her appearance. She was fastidious in the way she dressed and was always perfectly "put together." By today's standards she and her husband were poor as they raised their family, but the children didn't know because their home was filled to overflowing with love.
She was proud of her position as cook at AISD where she worked for twenty years. A typical workday for her included students rushing up to her to give and receive her hugs; they all loved her, too. She was honored to have competed in the Ms. Texas Senior-Midwest Pageant where she was named "Ms. Congeniality," just another example of her joyful and friendly personality. Of all the things in life that brought happiness and pride to her, her family was at the top of the list, and her title of "Grannie" to her grandchildren and great grandchildren was the most special of all. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her, and will forever be remembered.
Those preceding Mrs. McMahan in death are her parents, her husband, five brothers, two sisters and two sons-in-law, Bobby Clark and Richard Hensley.
Those remaining to cherish her memory are her daughters Ellen Owen of Abilene and Bobbie Hensley of Helena, Alabama; and son Richard McMahan (Judy) of McKinney; five grandchildren (3 spouses), twelve great grandchildren (5 spouses) and nine great great grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life Service is scheduled Friday, May 10 at 2:00 PM at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel, and a visitation will be held on Thursday, May 9 from 6:00-8:00 PM.
