Ruth "Ruthie" Mary (nee Wechter) Hazelwood, age 89, of Painesville, Ohio died Saturday evening, April 4, 2009, at Altercare of Mentor, after a brief illness. She was born in New Washington, Crawford County, Ohio on May 12, 1919, to the late John P. Wechter and Estella J. (Mauch) Wechter. She was a 1937 graduate of New Washington High School. Ruthie attended beauty school after graduating high school and was a beautician for a time. During World War II, she worked for Westinghouse in Mansfield, Ohio. On December 27, 1945, she married her beloved husband Russell. They lived in Mansfield, Ohio and then Shelby, Ohio, before finally moving to Painesville in 1960. They were married for 62 years, and spent more than 20 of those years enjoying their winters at their home in Ruskin, Florida where they made many friends. Ruthie loved to bowl, and bowled in the women's league at MarVal Lanes in Painesville for years. She loved baseball, and she and Russ rarely missed a game that was on TV. She was a homemaker, who especially loved to sew and cook (everyone loved her pies). Russell passed away on May 31, 2008. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers Robert (Margaret) Wechter, Richard (Florence) Wechter, and Eugene (Doris) Wechter.

She is survived by her children, J. Michael Hazelwood of Cleveland Heights, Vicki Hazelwood Fields and Daniel Hazelwood, both of Painesville; grandchildren, Heather (Gerry) Porter of Los Angeles, CA, Rachel (Jeff) Rumplik, Holly Hazelwood, and Sarah Hazelwood, all of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and Megan (Travis) Miller, of Ravenna, Ohio; great-grandson Colten Rumplik; numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She is also survived by daughters-in-law Kelly (Spencer) Caress and Candice Curschman Hazelwood.

A remembrance will be held Saturday, April 11, 2009 at Johnson Funeral Home, 368 Mentor Avenue, Painesville, Ohio for family and friends from 10 - 12:00 Noon. Immediately following the remembrance, a prayer service will be held at 12:30 p.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, 242 N. State Street, in Painesville. To honor her life and in lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in her name to St. Mary Catholic Church, Painesville, or to a favorite charity.