Hazel Marie Good (Ballard) was born on December 26, 1925, in Great Falls and died at her home in town on March 25, 2015, surrounded by family. She lived more than seventy years of her life on the Good family homestead, north of Great Falls. Family and farm were her passions. Hazel was a strong woman from pioneering stock and was a true matriarch whose wisdom, love and values are woven into the continuing generations.

Hazel graduated from Great Falls High School in 1943, and was an accomplished artist who studied with Mother Raphael. After high school she attended a local business college where she excelled in bookkeeping. During WW II she worked at Gore Hill and was in charge of tracking all repairs made to planes flown to the Hill. She created a sophisticated system that allowed the mechanics to easily see every repair made to any plane brought to Gore Hill; a system that was acclaimed by visiting Air Force officers. When the war ended she began working as a bookkeeper at Bison Ford.

She married Robert E. Ballard on October 5, 1948. Together they farmed the family land and added a place outside of Big Sandy, MT, in the Hop-Iliad community. Later, they sold the Big Sandy farm to buy land closer to the home place. During her marriage, Hazel made custom drapes at home for The Pin Cushion, served as the school clerk for Benton Lake School and was involved in many other activities throughout her life.

She described herself as a housewife but Hazel did so much more. She was a Camp Fire leader, Room Mother, helped with 4-H, belonged to the Home Extension Club and was a general factotum on many occasions. She was there when needed by her family and was a shining star as a grandmother; always there to cheer them on in activities or life, to help, to offer comfort, to laugh with and to just relax and talk. Nothing was more important to Hazel than her family and we are all stronger and better people for her guidance.

Hazel had a keen sense of humor and a knack for great one-liners. She loved coffee; bananas, especially in a banana cream pie; cribbage, folk art; crossword puzzles; reading historical stories; long summer evening shadows cast by the trees around the farm; bird songs, especially the song of the meadowlark; flowers and wheat fields.

Hazel is survived by her children; John Ballard of Floweree, Belva Jean (Steve) McCracken and Pamela Roatch of Great Falls. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren; Rachael McCracken (Justin Klaeb) of Los Angeles, Caitlin McCracken of Boston and William Roatch of Floweree; as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Charles and Kate Good, her husband Robert Ballard and seven brothers and sisters; Rachel, Elton, Melvin, Paul, Beryl, Freda and Ferne.

A private family burial has already occurred. In lieu of cards and flowers donations may be made to the Museum of the Northern Great Plains, Peace Hospice or a charity of your choice.

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