Obituary of Hazel Dunn

Hazel Kathryn Feind was born the 11th and last child of Edward and Rosa (Robish) Feind. She and her identical twin sister Helen who was 3 minutes older were born at their parents home in Opdahl Township, Hamlin County, South Dakota August 24, 1913. The twins first names were for the town where their parents were children -- Helenville, Wisconsin and where they lived as adults -- Hazel, South Dakota. The middle names were for their grandmothers Wilhelmina Kuhl Feind and Catherine Keller Robish. Thus the twins were named Helen Wilhelmina and Hazel Catherine. When Helen was headed for nursing school in 1931, she needed a birth certificate. That is when they discovered that the country doctor who had helped in their delivery had registered them at the Hamlin County Courthouse as Minnie Hazel and Minnie Catherine. The twins officially changed their names to Helen Minnie and Hazel changed her middle name spelling to Kathryn as she preferred. The twin's father died six months after they were born of blood poisoning from a cut in his hand received while butchering. After his death, Hazel's oldest living brothers -- Ernie, just 16, Wally, 13, and Clarence, 12, took over the operation of the farm. The family became very close as each child had their responsibilities and chores that they had to perform. Hazel milked six cows by hand every morning and night. Alice the oldest of the girls was the first to graduate from high school at Hazel. She got her teaching certificate and became a country school teacher which was the first income for the family outside the farm. Wally eventually took over the operation of the farm and brought the farm out of debt. Rose saw a need for advanced education. Ernie and Bob went to college and seminary and became ordained ministers. Nellie and Helen went to nursing school. Mary became a school teacher. Clarence bought the farm just south of the home quarter. Hazel attended Opdahl school #2 and the twins graduated from Hazel High School in 1931. Helen left for nursing school at Dakota Wesleyan and Hazel went to college at Westmar College, LeMars, Iowa. It was the first time she had been separated from her twin. Hazel was so homesick that she lasted three days in college and then returned to the farm in South Dakota. The Reverend Fred Dunn and family became the pastor of Kellerton Zion Evangelical Church in May of 1930. The church is located one quarter mile south of the Feind famr. The Dunn's first meals at Kellerton were with the Rose Feind family. Ralph Dunn remembered that at the evening meal there were two beautiful blondes sitting the piano bench at the end of the table. There was a carpool of Kellerton area youth going into Hazel for high school everyday. Hazel and Ralph were in that carpool. In 1933, the Dunn's moved to Sioux Falls. It was soon after that time that Hazel and Ralph Dunn became more than firends and started to date even though they were now many miles apart. Ralph and Hazel knew they planned to marry. But a seminary student was not allowed to marry until after graduation. That meant Hazel would have to wait for Ralph. He had four years of college and three years of seminary. Hazel stayed on the farm helping with farm chores and the harvest. by this time, her mother was suffering from pernicious anemia and was confined to a wheel chair. Hazel helpied take care of her needs. This included lifting this very heavy woman in and out of bed and into the wheel chair. hazel remembers helping her sister Nellie and Ernest Greening at the soda fountain at their drug store one summer. Most of the time she helped on the farm and in the house near Kellerton, She was very active at the Kellerton Church. It was now Alice, Wally her mother, and her ont the farm. That bond was very close. With Hazel at the house, Alice could spend more time taking classes towards a degree. She even taught school away from home for a couple of years. In 1939, Hazel attended Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, Illinois earning a Christian Workers Certificate in 1940. Ralph graduated from ETS that same year. He was appointed to Clear Lake Zion and Tabor Evangelical Churches. Hazel and Ralph were married at Kellerton Evangelical Church June 24, 1940. Stanley and Patricia were born while they served at Clear Lake, but they were born in Ortonville where Hazel's twin sister Helen was a nurse. Kathy was born in Watertown, SD while Ralph served at Kellerton and Hayti. Stephen was born in Millbank when their home was Twin Brooks. Ralph and Hazel served their parishes as a team. From 1940 to 1981 they served in eleven different appointments in three states, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. There were 21 different churches involved in the appointments. With church unions and cross denominational appointments, those 21 churches were a part of four different denominational names including the United Methodist Church. Hazel was always very active in the local churches including teaching Sunday School and women's organizations. In the late 1950s, she served first as state Vice President and then four years as the President of the Minnesota Evangelical United Brethren's Women Society of World service, a predecessor of the United Methodist Women organization. In 1981, Ralph and Hazel fully retired to Clear Lake. There they became very active in the Clear Lake United Methodist Church. Hazel was active in the United Methodist Women organization and the quilters group until her death. Ralph and Hazel moved to Hidewood Estated in 2003. Ralph died in April of 2005. Hazel entered Deuel County Good samaritaln Center in January 2007. she went home to a new residence in heaven on Sunday February 18, 2007. She was preceded in death by her parents, who both died this same week. Edward died February 20, 1914 and Rose died February 24, 1941. Nine of her brothers and sisters also preceded her in death. She is survived by her four children, five grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.