Hazel Bernadette (Bea) Lee

Hazel Bernadette (Bea) Lee, 65, died June 5, 2012, comfortably in her home in Palmer. She was born Jan. 6, 1947, in Lake Charles, La., to Leon Joseph and Hazel Henryetta (Goleman) Hull.

A celebration of life service in honor of Bea was June 9 at the Elk’s Lodge, where many friends and family attended to share their love, laughter and stories of Bea’s life. Even though she was born in the past century she was a woman ahead of her time who did not have a lifelong romance, but she had a lifetime of romances. Her love and passion for others and life was unequaled, and she was a paradigm of love.

“Bea, as she was known to her family and friends, always had a smile for everyone she met and that nearly everyone she came in contact with were happy to pledge their love to her in their thoughts, deeds and just the tone of their voices when they spoke of the legendary Auntie Bea,” her family wrote.

She was well-rounded in her talents; she was a dog musher, bartender, professional cook and an instructor for “bull cooks” at the Kotzebue Technical Center, just to name a few of her talents. She lived in Alaska and had been everywhere in the state. She raised her family in Trapper Creek, Salcha, Fairbanks, Kotzebue and Anchorage, as well as the Mat-Su Valley.

Hazel was no stranger to tragedy and hardship; she lost her son, Adam, six years ago. She was fiercely devoted to grandchildren, family and friends. She was much beloved by her sisters and brothers-in-law, Memory and Randall Groce, and Theresa and Steve Meier. They helped complete a family that a person can only dream of. Bea will be missed, but never forgotten.

Surviving are her son, Michael Herrick and his wife, Alma; stepsons, Donnie and Jason Lee; daughter-in-law, Sabrina Herrick; nephew, David Smith, who also called her mom and his children; and grandchildren, Miranda, Paige, Elizabeth, Brandon, Jessica, Briana, Rowan and Tressa.

Arrangements were by Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory in Wasilla.