Hazel Wharff

HAZEL HATCH WHARFF

Marion

Hazel Hatch Wharff, 90, of Des Moines, died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018.

She was born May 25, 1927, in Avon, Ill., to Walter and Marie (Fennessy) Hatch. She graduated from Avon High School and Monmouth College, then married Keith W. Wharff, from Newton. They lived in several Midwestern cities, including 32 years in Marion.

Hazel volunteered for local schools and the Republican Party. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi and an elder in the Presbyterian church. She helped to found the Granger House Museum and Hilltop Manor. While employed on the staff of former U.S. Rep. Tom Tauke, she was honored to launch the initiative leading to the Katie Beckett Medicaid Waiver, benefitting more than half a million children since 1982.

Hazel was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Keith W. Wharff; her parents; sister, Martha Hatch; brothers, Harold, Henry and W. Jerome Hatch; sisters-in-law, Gretchen Wharff and Donna Hatch; and brother-in-law, Donald Wharff.

She is survived by children, Anne M. Wharff of Springfield, Ill., Carol W. Dorr (Doug) of St. Peters, Mo., Mary G. Wharff (Andy Bloomer) of Lawrence, Kan., David H. Wharff of Urbandale and Julia Wharff Piermont (Dennis) of Dublin, Ohio; grandchildren, Megan Wharff Kavanaugh (Nicholas) of Des Moines and Conner Wharff of Iowa City; stepgrandchildren, Hunter (Alison), Evan and Anna Piermont; stepgreat-grandchildren, Jackson and Charles Piermont; sister-in-law, Mildred Hatch; and five nieces and one nephew.

A memorial service and reception will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 27, at First Presbyterian Church, 802 12th St., Marion. Committal service: 11 a.m. Saturday, April 28, Avon Cemetery, Avon, Ill.

A full obituary, including memorial designations, may be viewed at http://iowafuneralplanning.com/obituaries/?fname=hazel&lname=wharff