Hazel Elizabeth Breeding, of Vienna, was born on August 14, 1922, near Vienna, in Maries County, a daughter of Thurman H. and Minnie Elsie (Backues) Crider, and departed this life at 11:15 a.m., on Monday, April 21, 2014, in the Maries Manor Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Vienna. Mrs. Breeding had been in failing health for a number of years and had attained the age of 91 years, 8 months, and 7 days.

Mrs. Breeding was united in marriage on September 25, 1940, at Linn, in Osage County, to William Hiram Breeding, and to this union, two children were born. She was preceded in death by her husband on November 28, 2001; one son, Billie Ray Breeding, on August 16, 1942; her father on May 26, 1983; her mother on December 20, 1982; and two brothers, Howard Crider on May 13, 1926, and Harry Martin Crider on May 10, 1975; and one sister, Edna Berniece Gillispie on July 20, 2007.

Mrs. Breeding became a member of the Rader United Methodist Church, near Vienna, on September 10, 1939, and was always faithful to her trust in Jesus Christ as her Personal Savior; was diligent in her church attendance; and was a mission minded person for those in need in the community and especially providing food for funeral dinners. Her home always exuded an air of hospitality for those family and friends who visited with her usually providing them something to eat, good conversation, sharing memories, and ending each visit with a hardy invitation to come back while waving her hand as the visitors drove away. Mrs. Breeding especially enjoyed sewing, quilting, and cooking, with her good fried chicken being talked about far and wide. In addition to being a devoted housewife and homemaker during her working life, she had been employed by garment manufacturing companies in Linn and Iberia as a sewing machine operator for 30 years retiring in 1984.

Those left to mourn the passing of Mrs. Breeding include: one daughter and son-in-law, Wanda Lee and Loyd Grigsby, Gerald, Missouri; one granddaughter, Tina Yeager, and her husband, Brian, Gerald, Missouri; two great-grandchildren, B.J. Yeager and Brooke Yeager, both of Gerald, Missouri; three step-grandsons, Loyd Ray Grigsby, Jr., and wife, Kathy, Ozark, Arkansas; Jimmy Dean Grigsby, and wife Sherry, Russellville, Arkansas; and Robert Charles Grigsby, Paris, Arkansas; ten step-great-grandchildren; three step-great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Marie Wagner, Vienna, and Shirley Wilson, Belle; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were conducted for Mrs. Breeding at 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 25, 2014, in the Vienna Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes with Pastor Rebecca Mulford, Vienna/Rader United Methodist Churches, officiating.

Interment was in the Bethel Cemetery, near Vienna, under the direction of the Vienna Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes. Pallbearers for Mrs. Breeding were Gene Gillispie, Martin Crider, Raymond Crider, Brian Yeager, Brian Yeager, Jr., and Bennie Wagner. Honorary pallbearers were Shannon Thompson, Brian Gillispie, Donnie Swarthout, Don Thompson, Donald Breeding, and Ronnie Breeding.

Memorial contributions are suggested by the family of Mrs. Breeding to the Bethel Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund with envelopes available at the Vienna Office of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes.