Eric Hazeldine – of Liverpool, Wolfville and Venice, Florida, died peacefully in Kentville, NS, surrounded by his family on Feb 13, in his 92nd year, after a brief illness which weakened his body but never his sharp mind and wit. Eric was born in 1918 in Rottingdean, England. He was the son of the late Thomas and Natalie (Howitt) Hazeldine.
In addition to being a humble gentleman, Eric was a great engineer, mentor, inventor, veteran, adoring husband, cherished father and proud grandfather. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Ruth (nee: Piers) and 5 children; Keith (Ethel), Fort Wayne, In; Carol (Jim) Dewar, Wolfville, NS; Sally (Arnie) Chestnut, Kingston, On; Gail (Bill) Moffatt, Truro, NS; and Piers (Wendy), Ponhook Lake, NS;15 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sister Patrica, and brother Roy.
During WWII he served with the Royal Engineers in India and Burma and was mentioned in Dispatches. In 1946 he, “Boy”, married Ruth, “Scamp”. He worked in East Africa after the war as Chief Mechanical Engineer on the Groundnut Project. Upon returning to England he designed and built over 20 gas and electric cars, known as the “Hazelcar”. Sixty years later, one is still in use in England and others in museums.
In 1952, he immigrated to Canada to work as an engineer at Bowater Mersey Paper Co, Liverpool. His career spanned 32 years, retiring as Mill Manager. He was actively involved in Liverpool’s community and headed many organizations such as: Kiwanis, Red Cross, Assoc for the Mentally Handicapped, Children’s Aid Society, and as District Commissioner of Boy Scouts.
After retiring in 1982, Eric and Ruth traveled extensively. Life was divided between Nova Scotia and Venice, Fl. Eric was an integral member of Kings Gate Club, having designed, built, managed, created and led various projects. He lived life to the fullest with his soul mate and true love.
The celebration of Eric’s “Awesome Life” will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, February 18, 2010 in the White Family Funeral Home, Kentville with Rev. Robyn Brown-Hewitt officiating. Reception following at the funeral home. Donations in memory may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of N.S. On-line condolences or inquiries may be directed to chandlersfuneral.com or to www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com.
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Dorothy Jewers
To you Ruth and to your family I would like to extend my sympathy in the loss of your dear husband and their father. May God bless you all in this time of sorry. With kindness thoughts Dorothy
Jessie Whynot and Family
Dear Ruth and Family
Sorry to hear about your loss of Eric. We are thinking about you and your family at this time.
Glen Munroe
PIERS,AND FAMILY , sorry to hear that your dad has past away ,you guys will be in my thought at this time.
Alex & Wanda Rideout, Fort Wayne, Indiana
To Keith, Ethel and all the Hazeldine Family, we wish to express our sincere sympathy on the loss of your father, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather. We know he will be missed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all….God Bless….
Alex & Wanda Rideout
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Beverley & Betty-Jean Colp
Our deepest sympathy to all the family. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Memories of happy times together will help ease the great loss.
Brenda, Ira and David Huskins
We were sad to see about Eric’s death, we thought he was a wonderful guy. His wife Ruth was a wonderful teacher to our son David when he attended Ruth’s classes. I am sure he will be missed by all.
God Bless to all of the Hazildine family.
Brenda Ira and David Huskins
david huskins
God Bless to all from David and his family.
Lorraine (Cookie) Trainor
Dear Ruth, my Condolences to you and the family.
Remember Ruth, all the steak and kidneys dinners that my parents (Frank & Shirley had at their cottage in Greenfield. As soon as Eric heard that there was steak and kidney at the Trainor’s, he was the first one there. He sure enjoyed them.
Cookie
Matthew Hall
As a co-worker of Keith’s I did not know Eric, but I wanted to extend my sympathy for your loss. I pray that God grants you peace in this difficult time.
Paul & Mary Lou Smith
Piers, Wendy and Hazeldine Family,
We would like to express our deepest sympathy and condolences to you in the passing of your father and your children’s grandfather.
May remembering al lthe love and cherished times of your father helf ease the pain you feel in his loss. As you recall all the wonderful memories you have of him, may your hearts be comforted. Please know you are in our thoughts at this sad time.
May the blessings be.
Gerald Keddy, MP
Dear Ruth and family,
I wish to extend my sincerest condolences to you and your family during this time of sorrow. Eric was a great man and will be deeply missed.
Sincerest Regards,
Gerald Keddy
Anne and John Richards Kingston
To Dear Ruth and Family:
Eric was a talented man with a wonderful spirit and a twinkle in his eyes who was adored and loved by his family. He contributed greatly to the lives of his children and grandchildren… the memories of special times together will last forever.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all as you celebrate Eric`s life. With love Anne and John
Sue Beaumont
Dear Ruth,
Thinking of you at this time, have wonderful memories of Eric’s wit.
Regards
Sue
Arthur Hazell
What a bloke, What a star,
your pioneering spirit will live on,
in your Hazelcar.
Trevor Hammond
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, Keith!
Fred and Carol Trainor
Dear Ruth and Family;
Carol and I are saddened to learn of Eric’s passing but we join you in remembering how well he lived his life. You and Eric have always been a second set of parents to me and I have many fond memories from Keith’s and my chuildhood. Carol sends her best. She has mentioned many times how much she enjoyed meeting you both at Ponhook. I’m glad she had that small chance to do so.
Love, Fred.
Forbes and Tammy MacDonald
Julia and Hazeldine Family,
Julia, we are thinking of you as you go through this very difficult time. You spoke so much about your grandfather that we feel as though we knew him. He was certainly a much loved man and we can only imagine your grief. We wish you peace.
Love Forbes, Tammy, Meaghan and Ainslie MacDonald
Clifford and Jeanie Battist
Dear Ruth, Keith, Ethel and all of your family.
Please accept our heartfelt sympathy on the passing of Eric. He was a wonderful gentleman and will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Clifford and Jeanie
Janet and Laurie Clattenburg
Piers and family Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
With sympathy
Laurie and Janet Clattenburg and family
Fred Giffin
To Ruth and the entire family, my sincere condolences. To have worked with Eric at Bowater was one of those rare privileges. A quiet leader, an inciteful wit and an ability to expand ideas into better ways, Eric was always a true gentleman, who brought calm resolve in tough times. Ruth, I can recall many times when you and Margaret Anne added joy and spirit to company functions. Great memories.
Fred and Dot Lohnes
Dear Ruth and family, Our deepest sympathy God Bless
Robert and Sally Fader
Ruth and family:
We are so sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
karen colp
My thoughts & prayers are with you Wendy & Piers. Take good care. Thinking of you! Karen Colp
Joy (Dobson) Melanson
To the entire Hazeldine Family:
My thoughts are with you at this sad time. Eric was a wonderful man and you should take great comfort in the memories you shared with him. Wishing you peace for the days ahead.
Sincerely,
Joy
Ellen Brewster
My sincere sympathy to the Hazeldine family from Ellen Brewster (sister of Edith Lloyd who worked for the Hazeldine family in Liverpool for many years).
Donnie & Brenda (Ernst) Vaughn
Dear Hazeldine Family,
So sorry to hear of your loss. Eric was a kind & gentle man whom I have known most all my life.Living on Bristol,one of my fondest memories was going coasting down the Big Hill behind Dean Manor ! Enjoy your memories of a dear husband ,father ,Grandfather & Friend as you gather to celebrate Eric’s life.Our thoughts & prayers are with you all.
Love Donnie & Bren
Cheryl Kempf
Piers, My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family as you celebrate your Dad’s “Awesome Life”. My memories of your Dad go back to when y’all lived on Bristol Ave. Cheryl Kempf (Lethbridge)
Jan & Garnett Winchester
Our hearts and thoughts are with all of you.
Sincerely, Jan & Garnett
Sam & Trent Hammond
Sam and I will keep the entire family in our prayers. Our hearts and thoughts are with you all. God bless.
Jim Peach
Piers
Sorry to hear of your Dads passing. May God give U and your family Comfort.
Lorne and Barb Redmond
Dear Ruth and family,
We extend our heartfelt condolences to you all on the passing of Eric,a true gentleman.
Ruth, I’ll always remember how good you and Eric were to me at the Manor in Bristol, where I stayed during my courting days with Barb. I think of you folks often.
Sincerely,
Lorne and Barb
janet Colp and Jean Wagner (nee) Huskins
we send our heart felt condolences to you all,Eric was a fine man and we enjoyed working for his family at the manor in liverpool
Janet and Jean
ellen&jack macleod
Dear Ruth and family, our prayers are with you. May your memories bring you comfort. Love, Ellen and Jack…
Allen Fownes
Dear Mrs. Hazeldine, Piers, and family, I extend my sincere condolences to you on the loss of Mr. Hazeldine. I knew of the esteem in which he was held by the way my father Fred often talked of him, recalling his years at Mersey in the engineering department. Years later, [and several owners in between], I came to own your beloved Dene Manor. I knew when I acquired it, that it had become a mere shadow of what it had been during your ownership – from my own memory of it, driving by its sign with my parents in the 60’s, down that shady, tree-lined street, and from what others told me. I renamed it “Bristol Hall” during its current life as rental property of apartments, so as to preserve intact its former memory as your wonderful home “Dene Manor” , with bounteous gardens leading down to the river. Your cherry trees and numerous shrubs are still there blooming yet, as a testament to your love of the property.
Liverpool’s loss of you and your husband was certainly Wolfville and Venice’s gain. My family’s sympathies and best wishes to you. I know you will have many happy memories of Eric’s generous life to comfort you, a life which was so full and well-lived. Sincerely, Allen Fownes
Joyce & Vernon Hawkes
A distinguished gentleman.
So sorry for your loss.