Hazeleen Grimes

On the banks of Reelfoot Lake, Feb. 28, 1933, Mattie Hazeleen Burton was born in a one-bedroom cabin to Isaac Wicks Tidwell Burton “Tid” and Ola Myrtle (Edwards) Burton. She was the youngest of seven children, Thelma, Jess Willard “Billy,” Josephine “Josie,” Zella, Ethyl, Frank Harold and Hazeleen.
Hazeleen, or “Hazy” as she said some called her, was a very active person from early on. She started picking cotton at 6 years old. She went on to play basketball and won numerous basketball awards and became Salutatorian when she graduated from Hornbeak High School in 1950. She gained college scholarships due to her ambitious behavior. She was a member of Hornbeak Pentecostal Church in Hornbeak for many years. She left Jim Thompson Accounting in 1980 and started work at Bill Hobbs Garage until 1986 when Bob Cartwright took over. There, she was the one to come up with the name for the business of Tristate International. She worked there still two days a week until the age of 83.
Hazeleen passed early Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at her home in Union City at the age of 89. She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings; a son, Donnie Beard; husband, Cloyce Grimes; daughter-in-law Donna Beard; and a grandson, Clinton Forrest Beard.
She leaves behind a son, Dale Beard; a grandson, Matthew Beard, his wife, Tonya Beard; great-grandchildren, Karlee Pugh, Ian Beard and Clint Beard; granddaughter, Brittany Johnson; and a stepgrandson, Jeremy Pinkston. She is also survived by nieces Bonnie Siler, Beverly Carr, Donna Hardin and Sandra Harris; and surviving nephews, Charles Cavender and Harold Burton.
Graveside services were conducted at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Antioch Cemetery near Hornbeak. Brother Dale Batchelor officiated.
Pallbearers were Leonard Moss, Harold Burton, Jack Krietman, Justin Krietman, Justin McClanahan and Kyle Homra.
Honorary pallbearers were Allen Nohsey, Greta Poyner, Sherry Nelson, Helen Reeder and Bob Cartwright.
Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
To leave messages of condolence for the family, visit the funeral home website at www.emfuneralhome.com.

Published in The Messenger 9.8.22