Hazel Lorene Paxton was born on April 14, 1933, in Walnut, Mississippi and went to be with her heavenly Lord on July 21, 2024, at the age of 91 in Olive Branch, Mississippi. She grew up in Walnut, Mississippi and Middleton, Tennessee, working hard picking cotton and helping her family on their farm. After graduating from Middleton High School, Hazel moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where she worked at Sears, Packard Bell, and later became a long-term employee of Kelloggs. Hazel was a faithful member of Kensington Baptist Church, which later merged with Gracewood Baptist Church, where she served many years as outreach leader for her ladies' Bible class. Her life was marked by sacrificial love, dedicated service, and excellence in everything she did. At home, at church, in her neighborhood, at work, she joyfully served others. In her family's eyes, she was the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman: God-fearing, wise, hardworking, generous, kind and strong.

In 2022, Hazel was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, after 70 years of marriage. Also, preceding Hazel in death were her parents, James Parker Sides and Clara Stanley Sides, her two brothers, Amos Sides and Ladron Sides and her great grandbaby, Kaia Nordman. She is survived by her brother Alton Sides, her four children, Mike Paxton (Julia) of Germantown, TN, Denise Frazier (Kevin) of Springdale, AR, Jeff Paxton (Marci) of Russellville, AR, and Tim Paxton (Lisa) of Nesbit, MS; her ten grandchildren; Josh Paxton (Colby), Courtney Paxton Allen (Kyle), Colby Paxton (Katherine), Zach Paxton (Lauren), Laura Frazier Shansky (Matt), Amanda Frazier Song (Roger), Austin Paxton (Mindy), Ashley Paxton Nordman (Jeremy), Cayleb Paxton, Avery Paxton (Danielle); her twenty precious great-grandchildren, Eli Paxton, Tatum Paxton, Lainey Paxton, Paxton Allen, Caitlin Allen, Blake Allen, Hutch Paxton, Tucker Paxton, Molly Paxton, Payton Song, Palmer Song, Micah Shansky, Mazie Grace Shansky, Ezra Paxton, Maverick Paxton, Camden Paxton, Grayson Paxton, Gentry Paxton, Lucas Paxton, and Pax Nordman.