Hazel Lee Stangis

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Hazel was known for her outgoing personality and was able to strike up a conversation with anyone.

Hazel Lee (Tallent David) Stangis, 87, of Davis, California passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

Hazel was born on October 23, 1938 in Morganton, North Carolina to Lee and Mildred Tallent. She was an only child for most of her childhood and spent a lot of time with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Her sister Emily was born when she was 15, followed by Bryson and Patricia soon thereafter. Her Aunt Lillie taught her to play piano and sparked her lifetime interest in music and singing. She also played the saxophone in the high school marching band.

Hazel attended Berea College (1957-1961) in Berea, Kentucky, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Education. As a freshman, Hazel met her future husband, Chella David, and they were married the day after graduation. They then moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where Chella worked on his MS degree, Hazel started teaching and they welcomed their first daughter, Sheila in 1962. They soon moved to Ames, Iowa where Chella worked on his PhD and Hazel taught in Story City, Iowa. Their second daughter, Lila, was born in Ames in 1963. The family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1967 when Chella joined the University of Michigan as a postdoctoral associate. In Michigan, Hazel began teaching elementary school in the Willow Run school district and continued until she retired (31 years of teaching). She was very much loved by her students; they lingered after school and showered her with gifts. Chella and Hazel divorced in 1975; Chella moved to Minnesota, and Hazel stayed in Michigan, teaching, completing her MA in Language Arts from Eastern Michigan University, and raising two teenage girls.

Hazel met her second husband, Jim Stangis, a fellow teacher, at an educational conference and they married April 6, 1985. They enjoyed many happy years together in Northville, Michigan and Morganton, North Carolina. She embraced the role of stepmother to Jim’s kids, Cherie, Jacque and Craig. After Jim and Hazel retired, they moved back to Hazel’s hometown of Morganton. Lila’s family lived in Charlotte for part of this time providing for lots of time with the grandkids. Hazel and Jim enjoyed time with Hazel’s family, especially her disabled brother, Bryson, who moved in with them so that Hazel could take care of him.

After Jim and Bryson passed away, Hazel moved to Woodland, California in November 2006 to be near Sheila and help take care of Sheila’s daughters. The very first Sunday that Hazel was in Woodland, she went to the Woodland Presbyterian Church and became active in the church as a Deacon, member of the choir and women’s bible study group. She also enjoyed singing with the Woodland Chamber Singers, a highlight was singing at Carnegie Hall. Hazel enjoyed traveling with Woodland friends, and her daughters and stepdaughter. Two years ago, Hazel moved to Atria Covell Senior Living in Davis where she quickly made close friends (especially Andy and June). Hazel was known for her outgoing personality and was able to strike up a conversation with anyone- often befriending people in the grocery store. She was a loving, caring, and devoted wife, mother, stepmother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother and friend.

Hazel was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Mildred Tallent, her brother, Bryson Tallent, her first husband, Chella David, her second husband, Jim Stangis, and her step- grandson, Keeghan Savageau. She is survived by her daughters Sheila David (Pete Beal) and Lila Lawler (Jim Lawler), her stepchildren Cherie Stangis, Craig Stangis (Paula), and Jacque Stangis Bolf (John). She is also survived by her grandchildren Dan Lawler and Jessica DiBenedetto (Lila) and Surina and Maya Beal (Sheila), her step-granddaughter Aidianne Savageau (Jacque) and her great granddaughter, Sienna (Jessica) and step great grandchildren Lochlan and Eliza Howell, and Alejandro Harness (Aidianne). Hazel is also survived by her two sisters, Patricia Tallent (Richard Tuttell) and Emily Elliott, and many cousins. Hazel became close to Chella’s Indian family during their marriage, and is survived by sister-in-law, Indrani Savarirayan and her husband Suresh, sister-in-law Mary David and many nieces and nephews. Hazel had many cats over the years and is survived by her cat Hank.

A memorial service is being planned at Woodland Presbyterian Church on October 3. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Hazel’s honor be made to Woodland Presbyterian Church (checks may be sent to the church at 1324 Columbia Drive, 95695 or donate at the church webpage, www.woodlandpresbyterianchurch.org) or the Woodland Opportunity Village (www.woodlandopportunityvillage.org).