George Wesley Hazlett (1928 - 2021)

Biography

OBITUARY: George Wesley Hazlett (Wes), Tuesday, March 20, 1928 - Monday, April 5, 2021: George Hazlett, age 93, a dedicated father, husband, and grandfather passed away peacefully on Monday, April 5, 2021. George was born in a place so small it no longer exists. Marlman, Colorado cannot be found on any map (even Google), so he always said he was born in La Junta, CO. George was the youngest of four boys to William L. Hazlett and Pearl Etta Hopkins Hazlett, spanning 10 years from the eldest, Ernie, Jim, Dwight and George. Their father passed away in 1930 when George was only two, so the boys and their mother settled in La Junta where she found work in the local Levi's factory. They grew up in the Depression on a thin margin, but managed to feed themselves with help from the local squirrels and rabbits they hunted, plus a neighbor's occasional chicken. They were raucous and rough boys, which filled their later years with stories they told about each other - like how Jim and Dwight were wrestling with Ernie and held him down over the bed, so George hit Ernie in the head with a hammer. George was a good storyteller and the stories made us all marvel that the boys had survived childhood in one piece.

World War II came, and Dwight and Jim enlisted. George struggled through high school, though English and writing were his favorite subjects. Like many young men then, at 18 he enlisted in the Air Force serving as a Radio Operator from 1946 to 1951 where he achieved the rank of Staff Sargent. He was stationed in Alaska first where he took lots of pictures of the salmon he and his buddies caught. He was also stationed at Hamilton AFB in California. He stayed in the Inactive Reserves from 1951 - 1956 when he was Honorably Discharged. In March of 1953, he used his GI Bill to go to Mesa Junior college in Grand Junction, Colorado earning his A.S. in Geology. He then went onto the University of Colorado in Boulder, where he graduated with a B.A. in Geology. He valued education and saw it as foundational to his financial stability, and he passed that value onto his children, all of whom hold college degrees. While working on his Bachelor's, he did find time for some fun. He was also an active Mason attracted to their social functions and ability to become a Shriner, though he never completed that step. He met his future wife, Barbara Allies, at a dance in Norwood, Colorado, where she attended Western State College in Gunnison Colorado. This led to stories of the treacherous roads he drove over snowy mountain passes, on nearly bald car tires just to see that gorgeous blonde. They were married September 20, 1953. Barbara worked at Dow Chemical supporting the young couple while George finished school.

Then the life of a Field Geologist began. Which is? Moving. Stop #1, June 1956, was Beaver Mesa Mining Camp in Colorado where the language was extra salty, the toilets were outside, and the house was a little trailer. Good thing that skinny blonde was really a Basque rancher's daughter, whose fiery blue eyes could burn a hole straight through a miner's hardhat if he crossed her line. They stayed for a year. Child one was born, and George made up her name, Sandaren, from Sandra and Wren. And they were off to the next stop - Grants, NM. August 1957 to June 1958, George did surveying and geologic engineering, while Barbara enjoyed time with her sister, Lynette and family, who were living in Grants. The year passed quickly then they packed again. Back to Grand Junction, CO where George worked for Century Geophysical until Jan 1959. Child two was born, and George made up his name - Dwight after his brother and Kiplan, a homage to George's favorite author, Rudyard Kipling. In January 1959, George went to work for Phillips Petroleum and the family moved back to Grants. His career began shifting as his work focused more on computations of ore reserves and underground development drilling - the economic side of geology. Grants was a small town in 1959 but they filled their time with sports and friends. George joined the Phillips bowling league in the winter and played on the softball team in the summer. He was a good athlete and played the outfield well. Barbara worked the little concession stand at the softball games, while the kids played in the stands and ate hot dogs. They became close friends with Jeannie and Chubby Musick, who had two boys, and the families enjoyed getting together for cookouts and birthday parties. In January 1963, child number three was born. Barbara wanted her to have a family name, so George came up with a melodic first name and Melanie Marceline joined the family. In March 1963, George changed jobs and joined United Nuclear Corp in Grants, where he moved up into management and began supervising development and exploration, as well as mine mapping computations of ore reserves for four operating mines.

While they moved and George's career progressed, the couple shared some strong values - ties to the extended family were nurtured. Family vacations almost always included visiting relatives - trips to Colorado seeing Barbara's parents or George's mom; trips to California to see George's brother Ernie, his family, and of course, the ocean; family reunions for camping and fishing with all the brothers and their families in Colorado; trips to Colorado to see Barbara's sisters and their families. Not only did George and Barbara travel to keep those family ties strong, they also shared their home whenever they could - nephew Jimmy lived with them as did brother Mitch for bits of time along the journey. Barbara was a good cook and the table always had extra for family and friends, which was a good thing because the Hazlett brothers had 19 children among the four, while the Allies clan had eight children among the three sisters and one brother.

They also shared a love of the outdoors. Camping and fishing were regular family activities for their immediate family, as well as a passion they shared with lots of the extended family. George bought a pickup plus a little camper his brother Ernie had built. And the adventures began. George loved flyfishing in creeks and streams in uninhabited places. He drove that '55 turquoise green truck through shrubs and meadows without roads to find the right spot. He could read maps and would spread it out on the hood of the truck along with a compass, and off he would go - Google lady not required. He had basic mechanic skills so flat tires, dead batteries, or fussy alternators were dispatched with under any tree and the trip continued. He would take the truck, camper, and family to Colorado nearly every August when the Rocky Ford melons, peaches, and tomatoes were ripe and they'd put the wooden lugs of delicious smelling fruits in the camper with the kids (no seat belts back then) and bring it all back for eating and canning.

In 1964, UNC promoted George to Chief Geologist and they moved the family to Santa Fe, NM. His management track continued, and he supervised the mining geologies engaged in uranium and based metals exploration and mining. He made good friends among his colleagues as well. Harry Froboess, his draftsman, was also a renowned Swiss stuntman and diver, and George got him to give his three children and wife swimming lessons. They remained friends throughout Harry's life, even corresponding well into the 80's after Harry had retired and moved back to Switzerland. Bill and Mabel Buechecker were good friends and dinner companions. George enjoyed playing golf with Murray Dayhill, Dave Turberville, and Bill Biava Sr.

Santa Fe was a long stay for the family - 6 years. The fourth, and final, child was born - and in keeping with tradition George named him Toban (in honor of Tobin Rote, an admired football player). Thanksgiving of 1970, UNC moved George to Albuquerque to head up their newly acquired Teton Exploration and Drilling, and lead Teton in its mission of uranium exploration, land evaluation, and ore evaluations. He was the first geologist to identify and put into practice "roll front" uranium geology in NM, which had significant impact on increasing UNC's stated uranium reserves to the point where UNC ranked third in the nation. George provided outstanding and sustained guidance to Teton's exploration efforts and helping make NM the second largest state with identified uranium ore reserves. George's work as an economic geologist contributed significantly to NM's economy in the 1970's and 80's. While nuclear energy has been a controversial topic due to its environmental and health issues. At the time it was seen as the most cost-efficient alternative to oil and gas production, and is making a resurgence today because it doesn't produce CO2.

Albuquerque became the family's home. George ran Teton, employing not only his geologists and staff, but his and his staff's high school/college kids for summer jobs. Summer jobs doing environmental reclamation from the exploratory drilling along with washing, labeling and packaging core samples proved excellent work for unskilled labor. And George enjoyed his team of geologists-Judd Peterson, Dave Smith, and Wesley Estill. He remained friends with his drilling partner Nacho Salazar, and his landman, Guyton "Sheep" Hayes throughout his life. The family home in the Northwest Valley allowed George to be a "gentleman farmer" - a huge vegetable garden continued the canning activity, geese and chickens added eggs and meat to the family table (although with strenuous objections from Toban), and a horse, and two dogs rounded out the animal menagerie. George's love of fishing, camping, and travel were the core of family vacations.

Throughout the 1970s and 80's George's career as an economic geologist for UNC and Teton combined his love of the outdoors with his passion for history and science. He was promoted several times taking, on more management responsibilities and finishing his career as Vice President of Geology. He retired in 1983 with the closure of the Churchrock Mine. Not ready for a life of leisure and lifelong learner, George did geology consulting and became certified in Asbestos analysis, working part-time for his friend Bill Biava's son, BJ, at Assaigai Labs. He was a man of his generation: reserved, hardworking, responsible. But he was also a man of many interests. He loved flyfishing, camping, gardening, playing sports (softball, bowling, golf), music, and dancing. He was an avid reader, dog lover, Bronco's fan, whistler, and rock hound. He was the "king of cement", where he enlisted the help of his sons and grandson in his projects around the house. He loved family gatherings, and was always game for a night at Isotopes baseball park or watching football with all the guys, where he was known for his spicy posole and Sheepherder's sandwiches. He was an expert on WWII and read deeply on the subject and was particularly knowledgeable on the Pacific front since his brothers, Dwight and Jim both served there in the Navy.

George is survived by his wife of 68 years, Barbara; children, Sandaren, D. Kiplan, Melanie, and Toban; grandchildren, Mariah McCloskey and Kyle Mathewson; great-grandchildren, Marleigh and Madyson McCloskey; his much-loved sons-in-law, Stephen Mathewson and Michael McCloskey; and he leaves 27 cherished nieces, and nephews, as well as three siblings by marriage.

George was preceded in death by his mother, Pearl at age 100; and his brothers, Ernest, Jim, and Dwight Hazlett as well as their spouses, Jean, Bernise, and Esther (respectively).

A memorial service with limited attendance will be held Monday, April 26, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at FRENCH-University and will be simultaneously webcast on the FRENCH website. Interment will follow at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. Please visit our online guestbook for George at www.FrenchFunerals.com.

MILITARY SERVICE: SSG US Air Force - World War II

BURIAL: Section 22, Site 1380, Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Sources

• French Funerals and Cremations, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States [1] accessed 22 April 2021
• U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States Veterans Affairs, Grave Locator [2] accessed 29 January 2024