William Lewis Hazelwood Jr., 61, of Sebastopol, CA passed away in the little town of San Francisco (also known as San Pancho), Nayarit, Mexico on Friday, March 6th, 2009 of a pulmonary embolism. His loving wife and best friend, Susan Harman, was with him during his last hours. Father of Kena and Kai Hazelwood, step-father of Carly and Jonah Stuart, he was born in Cambridge, MA on February 19, 1948, the only son of the late Emily and William Lewis Hazelwood, Sr. ‘Billy,’ as he was fondly known by his surviving sisters, Pat Redd of Melrose, MA, and Susan Jackson of Windsor, CT, is also survived by brother-in-law Larry Jackson and nieces, Ruth and Lydia.
William grew up in Cambridge, MA with his two younger sisters. He was recognized in his early years as academically able and transferred to a challenging school, the Agassiz Elementary School. He then went on to graduate from the Cambridge High and Latin School. He worked at the Community Boat House where he became dock master and taught sailing on the Charles River during the summers. He first attended Northeastern University where he rowed on a winning crew team. He transferred to Emerson College, Boston, MA on a basketball scholarship and graduated June 7th, 1970, with a BA in Speech. He appeared in the 1969-1970 edition of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.
William drove cross country to begin the next chapter of his life in San Francisco, California, where he was briefly married to Caroline Laron. In 1982, he met and married Brenda Wade and together they had Kena and Kai. About his daughters, William often said fondly, “I wanted them smart and healthy, and now I have to live with them!” They fondly remember him as an ‘incorrigible’ punster. ‘Bill Hazelwood’ to his colleagues, he worked many years as a Director/Producer for KPIX and KQED and was Manager of Electronic Media Communications for Crown Zellerbach Corporation for 5 years. William won a Regional Emmy Award in 1973 for Outstanding Achievement, Special Programming, as the Producer of the primetime show All Together Now, KPIX.
Thanks to a fortuitous chance meeting with a former colleague at a San Francisco gas station, William became an instructor in the Broadcasting and Electronic Communication Arts Department (BECA) at San Francisco State University where he inspired and challenged his students with the calm eloquence that all who knew him admired. His daughters, Kena and Kai remember watching their daddy direct and teach. They took great pleasure in teasing him in front of his students to shakeup his sometimes intimidating image.
William had been with his wife, Susan Harman, for 12 years and lived in Sebastopol, CA, where he founded Sojourna Productions, a media and distance learning company. He retired from teaching in 2004. He and Susan enjoyed a life full of humor, love, growth and adventures. William was a wonderful husband, a committed and warm-hearted father and step-father, and a joyful friend and colleague. He enjoyed Tai Chi, sailing, hiking, ballroom dancing, tennis, acrobatic kite-flying and traveling.
William’s sisters, Pat and Susan, remember that, although ‘Billy’ was their only brother, he liked to remind them that he was their ‘favorite brother’. Besides being a ‘brat’ at times when he was younger, Billy was also self-sacrificing and came to the rescue of his little sisters as needed. He was a good listener and a straight shooter when giving advice (asked for or not!).
William was loved and cherished by the Harman-Stuart-Beard-Hodgson clan. They will miss him greatly. His cats McCovey and Leelu will miss their daily scratches. His family, friends, coworkers, and students will miss his laugher, kind spirit and wise advice. He will be missed but never forgotten; his laughing fits and practical jokes will keep all who knew him in smiles for years to come.
William grew up in Cambridge, MA with his two younger sisters. He was recognized in his early years as academically able and transferred to a challenging school, the Agassiz Elementary School. He then went on to graduate from the Cambridge High and Latin School. He worked at the Community Boat House where he became dock master and taught sailing on the Charles River during the summers. He first attended Northeastern University where he rowed on a winning crew team. He transferred to Emerson College, Boston, MA on a basketball scholarship and graduated June 7th, 1970, with a BA in Speech. He appeared in the 1969-1970 edition of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.
William drove cross country to begin the next chapter of his life in San Francisco, California, where he was briefly married to Caroline Laron. In 1982, he met and married Brenda Wade and together they had Kena and Kai. About his daughters, William often said fondly, “I wanted them smart and healthy, and now I have to live with them!” They fondly remember him as an ‘incorrigible’ punster. ‘Bill Hazelwood’ to his colleagues, he worked many years as a Director/Producer for KPIX and KQED and was Manager of Electronic Media Communications for Crown Zellerbach Corporation for 5 years. William won a Regional Emmy Award in 1973 for Outstanding Achievement, Special Programming, as the Producer of the primetime show All Together Now, KPIX.
Thanks to a fortuitous chance meeting with a former colleague at a San Francisco gas station, William became an instructor in the Broadcasting and Electronic Communication Arts Department (BECA) at San Francisco State University where he inspired and challenged his students with the calm eloquence that all who knew him admired. His daughters, Kena and Kai remember watching their daddy direct and teach. They took great pleasure in teasing him in front of his students to shakeup his sometimes intimidating image.
William had been with his wife, Susan Harman, for 12 years and lived in Sebastopol, CA, where he founded Sojourna Productions, a media and distance learning company. He retired from teaching in 2004. He and Susan enjoyed a life full of humor, love, growth and adventures. William was a wonderful husband, a committed and warm-hearted father and step-father, and a joyful friend and colleague. He enjoyed Tai Chi, sailing, hiking, ballroom dancing, tennis, acrobatic kite-flying and traveling.
William’s sisters, Pat and Susan, remember that, although ‘Billy’ was their only brother, he liked to remind them that he was their ‘favorite brother’. Besides being a ‘brat’ at times when he was younger, Billy was also self-sacrificing and came to the rescue of his little sisters as needed. He was a good listener and a straight shooter when giving advice (asked for or not!).
William was loved and cherished by the Harman-Stuart-Beard-Hodgson clan. They will miss him greatly. His cats McCovey and Leelu will miss their daily scratches. His family, friends, coworkers, and students will miss his laugher, kind spirit and wise advice. He will be missed but never forgotten; his laughing fits and practical jokes will keep all who knew him in smiles for years to come.
Bill referred me my first job in the Video/Film industry while I was in the BECA program he was teaching at SF State. I graduated in 94 and went on to work at Industrial Light and Magic for about five years and am now running my own media company, married and raising my 4 kids in Ukiah CA. I worked and learned many things with Bill. I truly respected his calmness and wisdom. Even though we didn't keep in touch I was shocked when I picked up a news paper randomly at a coffee shop and turned to the obits and saw his name. He was a true, good spirit and the world is worse of for his passing.
ReplyDeleteThat's me, test. Bill would have laughed at that one.
ReplyDeleteJay Johnson
I remember "Billy" Hazlewood as fun loving and at times mischievous. Our families were close in those early years in Cambridge. I remember outtings at Jerry's Pitt and Acton, Ma(the farm).
ReplyDeleteIt was so nice to have met Kena at Match Schools where she was working with my daughter Kaya. I remember my daughter saying that she met a girl who had the same initials as she and when she said Hazlewood, I said I grew up with a Hazlewood and I always envisioned seeing Billy again.
It is so nice to read that he had enjoyed a full life. Hello Pat! I don't know if you remember me but I remember you.
Love to all and my prayers are with you.
Jackie Brown(Louy Ford's daughter)
Dearest Girls, We are all so sad to belatedly learn of your father's death. Clance and I met William when he was working at Crown Zellerbach - I was on the same floor, different department - he was my go-to-complain-to buddy in those ancient days before internet, facebook, IM's etc. You just had to find yourself a nearby friend in those days. When he met Brenda I was privy to the whole romance, and of course then Brenda became such a dear friend that somehow we ended up on her side of the balance sheet when the community property was divided. It was never for lack of love for William but we were out of touch all these years since, but he has always occupied a corner of my heart reserved for special people, as do you both. It is shockingly unfair to lose him so soon. I am three months older than William and I myself am still in my prime: I can tell by the lovely pictures you have posted that he was too. I am sorry never to have met his wife, but she has my deepest sympathy, and I wish all of you the best as you struggle through this mighty loss.
ReplyDeleteLove, Susan Tohbe (and Clance Peterson, Farah and Rafi all send their sorrow.)