January 2004

I first met Hazel in the late seventies, when she & Gerry purchased Wilbus Emma Gee from us, their first Afghan. When they brought her to see us at 11 months of age, I suggested that they might like to show her. Hazel said that she quite fancied a new hobby, and from there it all began.
Hazel showed Gertie, as she was called, with some success, and when later mated, she produced a litter of twelve, two of whom who went on to become champions. Champion Ghinja La Peregrina and Champion Ghinja Popinjay, were both of beautiful breed type, but unfortunately, although La Peregrina was mated, she failed to get into whelp. Not to be daunted by this, Hazel mated a litter sister, owned by Pearl Swift, to produce the second, and last, Ghinja litter. Hazel & Gerry kept four from this litter, and along with them, over the years, they owned and campaigned Flossie (Wilbus Fantasia at Ghinja), Oliver (Wilbus Gatsby at Ghinja), Barbara (Wilbus Heloisa of Ghinja), the doggy ‘love of her life’ Black Jack (Wilbus Korleone at Ghinja) and more recently Dorothee (Sashkan the Dorothee at Ghinja).
Hazel was an animal lover through and through. A committed vegetarian, she also owned pedigree cats, goats and geese. All were given the same unstinting love, care and devotion, as were her family of foxes who visited each night for their supper. When any of Hazel’s animals were ill, no expense was spared to obtain the very best of veterinary care for them.
During this time, Hazel was for a great many years the Secretary of the Dover & Deal Canine Society, and she judged extensively, both Afghans and other breeds, and awarded CCs in Afghans in 1999.
A highly intelligent woman, and an avid listener, Hazel was always good for a stimulating debate. She was great company, illustrating her stories with her acting and mimicry skills. At the top of her chosen profession before she recently retired, it is so sad to think that she will not enjoy a lengthy retirement with her beloved husband Gerry, and her animals. She had much to look forward to, having recently acquired a new puppy, which she was so looking forward to campaigning.
I personally feel that I have lost a wonderful friend, who was always supportive, great fun to be with, and whose loyalty was without question.
Lesley Busby

A side of Hazel not many saw. She fed 8 generations of foxes over 22 years. Although she could sit close to them she always avoided eye contact or hand feeding, as she respected that they are wild animals. The foxes would wait for their evening snack, while a few yards away our geese wandered about loose. GERRY

(Above) A very magical and special place for Gerry and Hazel

Messages from some of Hazels many friends showing the high regard this lady was held in

Please pass on my sympathies to Jerry , what an awful start to the new year, and such a shock to read this tragic news, Jo (Severndene)

Oh Lesley, that is just awful, poor Gerry, please send my mums and my sincere condolences at this dreadful time Nikki Dean and Linda Bishop

Lesley this is awful news, I am so very sorry to hear about Hazel, poor Jerry must be distraught. Please pass on my sympathies to him. As you say what a tragic start to this year Hazel (Zanavar)

Can't take it in. Just can't believe we are never going to see one of our best friends again. Totally, utterly, completely devastated. Brian and David (Numa)

Hi Leslie. What sad news, please pass on my sympathies to Gerry. Tricia (Churchill)

Please send my deepest sympathy to Gerry I still cant quite believe this very sad news hazel was such a lovely lady and will be sadly missed, sleep in peace hazel.  Love Pauline (Johnson)

It really is hard to believe isn't it Brian, Hazel with her big smile seems to have always been there doesn't she and it seems unbelievable we won't see her bustling about busy and making you want to smile back. I am so shocked by her loss too. She touched a lot of peoples hearts. I should think Alan and Leslie will really feel her loss deeply too, so sad. Hazel

Hi Lesley, Really, really shocked by this news, please let me have the address to send a card to Gerry and family if you could. Chris (Bagshaw)

Hello Lesley. We are so very sorry, Hazel was a lovely lady. All our thoughts are with Gerry at this very sad time,  Jackie & Alan (Buttle)

That is awful news, Hazel was a truly lovely lady. Always there with her impish smile. Gerry must be devastated, please pass on our condolences and tell him we are thinking of him. Shirley and Terry (CARR)

Hello Lesley, I remember Hazel was the one who got me using an Isinis brush, I still use one to this day. Hazel was full of fun, I hope the good memories of years gone by will help Gerry in the painful months ahead. Many people will be thinking of him. God bless Hazel. Margaret and John (Turimar)

We were very shocked to hear of the passing of Hazel, its dreadful news, being benched together at Ch shows we shared many a good laugh over many many years. Our thoughts are with Gerry at this time, Hazel was one of the best.... Love Jackie and Michael (Khorinyas)

Lesley what a really dreadful shock for Gerry, we are so sorry and pass our deepest sympathies to him. I hope everyone will rally round and help him through the months to come when he will need support the most. Jill & Clari (Cross)

I remember Gerry and Hazel from when I first started showing, always a smile for everyone and she and Gerry always looked "together" if you know what I mean, having a laugh and a joke. I know more recently they have not been showing much and I think the last time I saw Gerry and Hazel was Richmond but each time you saw her she was always a happy and cheery person. I'm sure she will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Rest in Peace Hazel.  Love Chris, Les and all at Kalaztra.

Oh dear that's just dreadful news Lesley please pass my sympathies on to Gerry am sure he must be devastated. Pam

It was wonderful to read the tributes page dedicated to Hazel, I knew her circle of friends was large but so many people - its amazing!
Hazel - A friend to everyone, to others more, to me - a person that I always felt was watching over me, a person who I knew was always there to talk to, a person who could make the bad things in life seem a whole lot brighter, a person who always had the right words and could always make me smile. This is how I shall remember Hazel, and although I knew her thinking back only for a short time, the memories I hold of her seem enough to fill an eternity, and not one tainted memory do I hold of her.

My family and I moved in to the house next to Gerry and Hazel just over 4 years ago, Gerry was the first person in our road that I met, he explained his wife Hazel was in Turkey at the time and she would be back in a week. First impression of Gerry - fun, laid back, very knowledgeable. Week later Gerry invites us round and I meet Hazel for the first time, greets me with a handshake and the biggest and friendliest smile I had ever seen. That was that, a great friendship between my family and Gerry and Hazel began.

The first thing I remember Hazel saying, is that when she heard children were moving in next door she thought "there goes the peacefulness", and she followed it on by saying she knew that wasn't now the case having got to know us. She avoided actually saying it, but that was the one time I remember Hazel admitting she was wrong, as she was a very strong willed person who always stood her ground and never surrendered even when she was up against Gerry about some little thing or another.

That brings me to the next part, Hazel and Gerry together, seeing these two together was like nothing I had ever seen before, if there was ever a time to use the expression "joined at the hip" this was it. Not in a sense that the couldn't physically be apart, but in a sense that in the mind they were never apart you could just watch them and it was like they could communicate without speaking. Truly astonishing. These two were made for each other and I have no doubt about that. They were a unit; they still are a unit. They had their own language if I remember rightly, which I still haven't managed to understand to this day. Separately both of them could make me laugh, but together they could have people in stitches, they would be the life of any party put together.

Hazel could talk to her animals just as though they were humans, be it foxes, Afghans, cats, she would give them all equal attention. For each of her animals she seemed to have a different voice and style of body language which showed how much she understood each of her animals (or her children as she called them). She showed just as much devotion to wild life as she did her own animals. She would do something as big as feed the foxes each of which had there own name, or something as little as make sure there was a little puddle of water on the pool cover there especially for the doves to bath in over the summer months.

Hazel was like no other person I have ever met, we would talk about anything and everything she was never lost for words, she would always say what people needed to hear not what they wanted to hear. Which I learnt is the best way to do things as it helps more in the long term rather than just the short term.

I know Hazel lived every day to the full as she never believed in 'waiting till tomorrow', and so she always made sure that each day came to an end without any loose ends remaining so to speak. That is why I believe everyone should be able to look back at their memories of Hazel and simply smile and feel warm inside, and not have any "(wish I had' thoughts" or regrets. As I have said, with Hazel, the events that you would normally expect to take a lifetime to achieve seem to feel accomplished in a very short time. Why I do not know, but that is the way I feel when I think about it, and it makes me feel that the time I knew her was used as much as possible, and there is nothing I feel didn't happen that should have.

However I miss Hazel more than words can describe, as I know even more would have happened over the years to come. But I have so many memories of her and the feeling that she is still with all of us in one way or another, that I am able to hold my head high and carry on and most of all smile which is all Hazel wanted people to do.

God Bless Hazel - you were one in a million. Gerry - keep on doing what you are doing just as you are.

Rob Capel (the boy next door)
 

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