TOWNSEND , Hazel Irene Rear-Townsend

Hazel passed away peacefully at Soldier’s Memorial Hospital in Orillia with her family by her side on Friday, August 15, 2025 after a lengthy battle with health issues; at the age of 76.
Born in Collingwood on June 25, 1949, she was a daughter of the late Robert & Edna (nee Morrison) Plummer.

Hazel is survived by her special partner Stan Lowes and her much loved son Duane (Jennifer) Rear. She was the fun loving and proud grandma/nanny to grandchildren Danielle, Jordan (Sarah), Devon, Dylan, Jonathan, Kya and Sirea and great-grandsons Ethan and Caden.
She is predeceased by her first husband Myles Rear whom she married in 1968 until Myles’ sudden passing in 1981 and was also predeceased by their beloved son Danny in 2010.

Hazel married Albert Townsend in 1982, who predeceased her in 2018 after many happy years of marriage. She is remembered by Albert’s children; Tony (Colleen) Townsend, Mike (Sheilagh) Townsend, Steve Townsend and Krista (Cliff) Stroud as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was the loving sister of Louise Gamble, Paulette Henderson and Bob (Dorothy) Plummer, and sister-in-law to Sharon (Jim) Lobsinger, Dorothy LeClair, Karl (Wendy) McCulloch and Peter (Kay) Millard and will be missed by many nieces and nephews as well as Stan Lowes and his family. She is predeceased by her brothers-in-law Doug and Marvin McCulloch, Dan Henderson and Bill Gamble.

Hazel found great joy in everything she did, whether it be boating, camping or fishing as long as family and friends were near, she truly cherished those times. She was always the ‘Life of the Party’, and was loved by all who met her. To quote one of Hazel’s dearest friends ‘Don’t forget your friends, for new ones are silver, but old ones are gold’. We all know how much Hazel loved her jewelry, both the new and the old, silver and gold.

Her working career included her time at Steadman’s in Thornbury; however, most will recall her knowing smile and contagious giggle from the TD Bank in Thornbury where she worked for over 20 years.

Thank you to the numerous hospital staff and the many hospitals that cared for her, most recently Soldier’s Memorial in Orillia.

Cremation has taken place and a private family graveside service will be conducted at Thornbury-Clarksburg Union Cemetery.

Please join us to celebrate Hazel’s life at a come and go reception at the Marsh Street Centre in Clarksburg on Saturday, September 6, 2025 from 1 until 4 p.m.

As your expression of sympathy, donations to the Meaford Hospital Foundation would be appreciated and may be made through the Ferguson Funeral Home, 48 Boucher St. E., Meaford, ON N4L 1B9 to whom arrangements have been entrusted. www.fergusonfuneralhomes.ca

Memories and notes of condolence may be shared at Ferguson Funeral Home.