- Date Of Birth: August 1, 1927
- Date Of Death: December 20, 2014
- State: Michigan
Hazel J. Schmit Latondress passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 20, 2014. She was born August 1, 1927 in Pawnee City, Nebraska to the late Theodore and Helen Martin Schmit. She was a graduate of Pawnee City High School, Kansas City Hospital School of Nursing, and Western Michigan University.
She was a charter member and active in many local and state Nursing Administrator/Nursing organizations. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church. In 1947, she began her career as a Registered Nurse at Kansas City General Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Then in 1949, she moved to Kalamazoo to work in an internist’s office. She also worked evenings at Bronson Methodist Hospital taking care of polio patients during the epidemic. In early 1950, she started working at Bronson Methodist Hospital as a Staff Nurse on the evening shift and worked up through many positions to the position of Assistant Vice President – Nursing Administration which she held at the time of her retirement in February 1986.
She was awarded many honors through Who’s Who Organization such as World’s Who’s Who of Women, in American Women, in American Nursing, Directory of Distinguished Americans to name a few. Her greatest Honor was the Hazel Latondress Excellence in Nursing Practice Award which was established upon her retirement by the staff nurses at Bronson Methodist Hospital to be awarded annually to staff nurses meeting established protocol. In 1997, she joined the Kalamazoo County Golden “K” Kiwanis and over the years served as a president, secretary, and treasurer and received the George Hixson Fellow award. She was an avid golfer, bowler, and a Detroit Tigers baseball fan, loved to do crafts, enjoyed cooking, camping, and the outdoors.
On June 25, 1953, she was united in marriage to H. Francis Latondress, who preceded her in death on July 10, 1994. She was also preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Ruth Hastings; and three brothers, Grant, Raymond, and Charles Schmit. Survivors include her daughter, Nancy William Smith, Bonaire, GA; her son, David Michelle Latondress, Freeland, MI; five grandchildren, Jody Alison Smith, Duvall, WA; Stephanie Mark Mathews, Saratoga Springs, UT; Ashley Smith, Niceville, FL; Jillian William Grzegorczyk, Freeland, MI; Justin Kilduff, Freeland, MI; and five great granddaughters; Julianna G., Celia F., Helena H., and Mariella J. Grzegorczyk, and Caroline F. Mathews. She is also survived by several nephews and nieces.
