Hazel Marie Sandland Brown

Sep 6, 1929 -

Oct 18, 2021

Hazel Bento Sandland Brown peacefully passed away on Oct. 18, 2021. She was born in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Sept. 6, 1929, to Tony and Mary Bento. As a young adult, she joined her uncle Joe Olivera in Alaska to work at his restaurant, The Fireside Cafe. Later while waitressing at Peggy's Airport Cafe, she met Hank Sandland and they married in 1953. Raising their three sons in Anchorage, Alaska, Hazel was involved in their many activities including baseball, hockey, downhill ski racing and hunting. A favorite family story she loved to tell was about her first moose hunting trip. After flying to the Kenai Peninsula, the group drew straws to decide who would get the opportunity to shoot it and Hazel won. She was coached on waiting until the moose walked to shore but, in her excitement, she shot. The moose was so deep in mud that it took a jeep and three horses to pull it out of the water. The story provided many laughs over the years and that would prove to be Hazel's last moose hunt!

Hazel spent many years volunteering for The Gilded Cage, a gift shop that supported the Alaska Crippled Children's Association where she made many lifelong friends and began collecting Alaska Native baskets and other cherished artifacts. She was a fabulous cook, and her family enjoyed her delicious enchiladas, pickled fish and sourdough pancakes.

Following Hank's death, Hazel married J. Vic "Bud" Brown and the adventures continued. They loved spending summers in Seldovia, Alaska, where all waited for Hazel's creativity in the 4th of July parade. Some years it was dressing her grandchildren in seaweed or clamshell bikinis or making an outrageous outfit for a favorite family canine member. Spending winters in Arizona, Hazel was a master at finding treasures at thrift shops. She turned thrifting into an art and from her coaching, one her family always attempts to emulate.

She is survived by her family, Mark Sandland (Jennie), Steve Sandland, Greg Sandland, J.V. Brown (Toni), Debby Sedwick (Jack), Dawn Wilcox (Paul); 13 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. With a committed faith in God, we look forward to our reunion to come. The family will hold a celebration of life in July 2022.