Hazel Ruth Ledford Liner of Normandy passed away peacefully at the age of 80 on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, with her family by her side.

Mrs. Liner was born in Manchester to the late James Orbra and Mary Louise Weitz Ledford. During her life, Hazel shared her gift and love of music with those around her as a piano instructor. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Liner; one brother, Jerry Ledford; and one sister, Jayne McCullough.

Hazel is survived by her daughter, Marleeta Yardumian (Don); two sons, Randall Liner (Nettie), and Joshua Liner (Chloe); three grandchildren, Adam Jeffrey Yardumian, Emily Joye Yardumian Smith (Jacob), and Lennox Joseph Liner; and one sister, Joye Bock (Johnny).

Visitation for Mrs. Liner will be held on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Kilgore Funeral Home. A graveside service will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Maplewood Cemetery with Randall Liner officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor Hazel’s memory by sharing the love of Jesus with those around you.

Hazel Liner could be described as “talented beyond measure.” However, she would freely admit that as a child, she was “rowdy and into everything.” She was a ringleader who had no fear. From a very young age, she loved listening to people play music, and began taking piano lessons at age 8. She caught on quickly, and by age 12, Hazel was playing music in public. It wasn’t long before she was on the wedding and funeral circuit in Coffee County and beyond. Initially, Hazel learned to play all types of music but gravitated toward traditional hymns that are sung in the Nazarene church. She loved the old hymns because of their scriptural basis and meaningful lyrics. The first song she became proficient on was “Mansion Over The Hilltop.”

As she grew in confidence and abilities, she also grew to love the Lord. Raised in a Christian home, she started her own spiritual walk at a young age. It was at a church camp that Hazel became aware of her future husband, Harold Liner, Jr., the son of a pastor. Hazel’s skill and willingness to serve at the keyboard caught the attention of local pastors, and she began to play and sing at various churches. She also played at area revivals, traveling by train for several hours to some of them, unaccompanied. The fact that she could both read music and play by ear was appreciated by guest singers.  

She loved seeing others come to know Christ at these large spirit-filled events. Crowd response was what led her to record two LP albums, on which she worked with noted Gospel music producer, Ed Irwin. 

She also learned to play the accordion, and this portable keyboard was well suited to this energetic and spirited young woman. Even more, it led to a lifelong tradition. Each December she walked through the halls of assisted living facilities, blessing countless lonely people by Christmas caroling with her family. 

As a young adult, Hazel had an office job at Graber’s Department Store, where she discovered a talent with numbers and finance. Days were spent with fingers flying over an adding machine, and applying that same dexterity to the piano keys on nights and weekends. She learned that not only could she perform as a musician, but teach others how to play. Hazel chose music, quit the job, and began teaching at her home.  At one point she had over 40 piano students each week, finishing some lessons before the school day started, and others late into the evening. Many of these students went on to accompany other singers, groups, and churches of their own. Hazel was pleased to learn that for a long period of time, three of her students were playing piano every Sunday morning at their own churches.

Hazel and Harold eventually met, discovered their shared love of Gospel music, and became a duet of lifelong harmony. They married, and then moved house more than seven times during Harold’s Army career. Hazel considered her music as a form of ministry, and as the wife of a military officer, was privileged to have played piano, sang with her family and accompanied many other singers on three continents.

They made lifelong friends with fellow service members in Fort Leonard Wood and Rolla, Missouri.  Then came the first overseas assignment. Harold was given the option of serving solo in the Middle East for one year, or the entire family going for 2 1/2 years. H & H were not enamored by the idea of being apart for any amount of time, so the whole family packed up and moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hazel led the family in Arab adventures in Israel, Egypt and beyond, as well as European adventures such as in The Netherlands. Following that stint, they were assigned to Schweinfurt, Germany, and again, Hazel arranged many short trips and long vacations all over Europe, including behind the Berlin wall, which was East Germany at the time.

This was followed by many years in Ft. Dix, New Jersey, where Harold retired from the Army and went to work as a high school science teacher in Burlington, N.J. During that time, she played in church services and sang in the choir at Sunset Road Church of the Nazarene in Burlington, N.J. She was always eager to learn and serve in more ways, and expanded her skills into other musical styles. For four years she played for a Catholic mass and also accompanied a Black Gospel choir that performed in the Ft. Dix, N.J. area.

Hazel, the world traveler, then returned to her beloved hometown of Tullahoma. She was a member and long-time piano player at First Church of the Nazarene. She and Harold eventually changed their membership to First Baptist Church, where she was welcomed by the worship leader, and was put to work for Sunday services, various patriotic and other themed programs, as well as special events in the fellowship hall.   

Eventually Harold and Hazel were blessed with grandchildren, who grew up with only a large field separating the two generations. Both benefited greatly from the financial diligence she modeled, as well as her expertise in music.

Hazel was very resourceful, and always managed to do a lot with little. She was a voracious reader, studied the Bible regularly, and read countless non-fiction books encompassing subjects from across the theological and spiritual spectrum. Hazel was also an avid American Family Radio listener and supporter. 

Musicians are generally comfortable in the spotlight, and Hazel was no exception. She would put together entertaining programs with lots of laughs and love, all centered around the Lord. But offstage she loved to turn the spotlight on others, helping them develop their own talents and gifts. It helped that Hazel was very inquisitive, and perhaps intuitive, because she knew all the right questions to ask. This made her friends and acquaintances feel special – they would tell her everything, and knew it would go no further. Hazel was the soul of discretion.

Hazel looked at the world as her mission field, and was always curious about two things when she met people: their cultural origins and their faith. In her final days, every worker who came to her hospital bed was asked “Where are you from?” and “Do you know Jesus?” Though Hazel’s mission field was shrinking by the day, she still found a way to deliver her testimony and make people think about the future. Faithful to the end, her last full sentence was during an exchange with daughter Marleeta. Hazel had whispered something that Marleeta couldn’t quite understand. Marleeta said “Yes, Mom, it’s good.”  To which Hazel responded in a strong, clear voice, “No, G-O-D is good. God.” There’s no doubt where Hazel stood.  

 Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Tullahoma News – Jan. 1, 2025