Obituary for Bart Colin Hazleton
GO BLUE – The University of Michigan sports lost one of its biggest fans and quite a few more trout will be spared the hook of a master angler. We honor the life of Bart Hazleton and acknowledge his peaceful passing at the age of 80 on October 17, 2019 in Carbondale, Colorado after a two-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer.
Bart is survived by his son and daughter in-law Chris and Audrey Hazleton, daughter and son in-law Tracy Turner-Sheppard and David Sheppard, grandchildren Charles Turner 31, Thomas Turner 28, Graham Hazleton 16, Gabe Hazleton 14, Spencer Hazleton 14, as well as his brother Samuel H. Hazleton IV of Lake George, NY and Sister Sara Beebe of Hilton Head, SC. Bart’s wife of 50 years, Ann Hazleton died 3 years ago after a short battle with cancer. Bart is preceded in death by his mother Sara Siepman and father Samuel H. Hazleton III.
Bart was an expert family man, fisherman, outdoorsman, businessman and traveler. He grew up living in the Bay Area of California then New York, graduating from White Plains High School in 1957. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1961 (Sigma Chi fraternity) and having spent his Junior year in Germany, Bart became a Lieutenant JG in the US Navy, serving on the USS Lexington carrier. Bart excelled in sales and remained highly respected by his colleagues and employers, working until the day before his final brain surgery at the age of 79. Bart found a professional home with BYK Gardner USA which became his extended family for the past 20 years. Bart served his community as a hospice volunteer, a board member of Enchanted Circle Trout Unlimited, and as a faithful volunteer at the Taos food pantry for many years.
Many will recall the activities he enjoyed with friends and family: his unwavering passion for all sports particularly University of Michigan sports, tennis, fly fishing, exercising, gardening, travel, cooking, skiing, books, and a nice crackling fire. However, these activities will not likely be how Bart will be remembered by his friends and family. His present moment outlook and gift of creating lasting friendships will forever stand as an example for all of us who knew and loved spending time with Bart. He just had a way of finding the lightness and joy of any situation with laughter and acknowledgment of life’s absurdities.
Bart’s kind disposition and dignity carried him through difficult days over the past year as a patient at Heritage Park, a skilled nursing facility in Carbondale, Colorado. His remarkable final contribution to this world was to bring joy and lightness to his many wonderful caregivers. Bart showed us all how to live with generosity of heart.
A small ceremony will be held on November 23rd at 1 pm on the Rio Grande River, Rio Bravo campground near Pilar, NM. All are welcome to honor Bart at an informal gathering and storytelling at the Taos Country Club from 3-6 pm. To share a memory visit
Bart felt deeply that young people could know and form a deeper connection with the environment by learning how to catch fish. Honoring his wish, donations on Bart’s behalf are being accepted at the National Fishing in Schools Program NFSP, PO Box 6666, Lincoln, NE 68506 or www.fishinginschools.org.
Bart is survived by his son and daughter in-law Chris and Audrey Hazleton, daughter and son in-law Tracy Turner-Sheppard and David Sheppard, grandchildren Charles Turner 31, Thomas Turner 28, Graham Hazleton 16, Gabe Hazleton 14, Spencer Hazleton 14, as well as his brother Samuel H. Hazleton IV of Lake George, NY and Sister Sara Beebe of Hilton Head, SC. Bart’s wife of 50 years, Ann Hazleton died 3 years ago after a short battle with cancer. Bart is preceded in death by his mother Sara Siepman and father Samuel H. Hazleton III.
Bart was an expert family man, fisherman, outdoorsman, businessman and traveler. He grew up living in the Bay Area of California then New York, graduating from White Plains High School in 1957. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1961 (Sigma Chi fraternity) and having spent his Junior year in Germany, Bart became a Lieutenant JG in the US Navy, serving on the USS Lexington carrier. Bart excelled in sales and remained highly respected by his colleagues and employers, working until the day before his final brain surgery at the age of 79. Bart found a professional home with BYK Gardner USA which became his extended family for the past 20 years. Bart served his community as a hospice volunteer, a board member of Enchanted Circle Trout Unlimited, and as a faithful volunteer at the Taos food pantry for many years.
Many will recall the activities he enjoyed with friends and family: his unwavering passion for all sports particularly University of Michigan sports, tennis, fly fishing, exercising, gardening, travel, cooking, skiing, books, and a nice crackling fire. However, these activities will not likely be how Bart will be remembered by his friends and family. His present moment outlook and gift of creating lasting friendships will forever stand as an example for all of us who knew and loved spending time with Bart. He just had a way of finding the lightness and joy of any situation with laughter and acknowledgment of life’s absurdities.
Bart’s kind disposition and dignity carried him through difficult days over the past year as a patient at Heritage Park, a skilled nursing facility in Carbondale, Colorado. His remarkable final contribution to this world was to bring joy and lightness to his many wonderful caregivers. Bart showed us all how to live with generosity of heart.
A small ceremony will be held on November 23rd at 1 pm on the Rio Grande River, Rio Bravo campground near Pilar, NM. All are welcome to honor Bart at an informal gathering and storytelling at the Taos Country Club from 3-6 pm. To share a memory visit
Bart felt deeply that young people could know and form a deeper connection with the environment by learning how to catch fish. Honoring his wish, donations on Bart’s behalf are being accepted at the National Fishing in Schools Program NFSP, PO Box 6666, Lincoln, NE 68506 or www.fishinginschools.org.