Hazel Irene Stevens, 88, of Karns City died at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Butler Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. She had resided at the Chicora Medical Center for the past 2½ years.

Born in Karns City, May 2, 1918, she was a daughter of Jesse Harvey Sherwin and Jennie Estella Fink Sherwin.

She was a member of the Karns City United Methodist Church. She was a former member of the Rebekah Lodge.

Mrs. Stevens was a 1936 graduate of the Fairview Township Karns City High School. She then graduated from The Butler Business College and retired from Butler Memorial Hospital in 1980 as an administrative assistant after 30 years.

She enjoyed collecting bells and reading.

She is survived by her husband, Walter K. "Buss" Stevens, whom she married May 11, 1950, in Karns City; a daughter, Paula J. Connelly and her husband, Thomas, of Landisville; two grandchildren, Maureen M. Hill and her husband, Daniel, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Sean Thomas Connelly of Harrisburg; a great-grandson, Alexander Daniel Hill of Colorado Springs; and several nieces and nephews.

As the last surviving member of her immediate family, she was preceded in death by a brother, Edward Paul Sherwin, who died May 6, 1955; a sister, Betty J. Barrett, who died in August 2003; and a niece, Karen Miller, who died in April 1983.

<B>STEVENS </B>— Friends of Hazel Irene Stevens, who died Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the <B>Richard d. HILLIS Funeral home</B>, 102 Argyle St., Petrolia.<B> </B>The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral Home with the Rev. Glea Foster, her church pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at the Bear Creek Cemetery, Petrolia.Memorial donations may be made to the Karns City United Methodist Church, Vaunda Moore, Treasurer, P.O. Box 89, Karns City, PA 16041.