Robert J. Hazzard, 90, Ozawkie, died Monday, March 13, 2017, at a Topeka hospital.

He was born Dec. 15, 1926, at Lawrence, the son of James M. and Mable Anderson Hazzard. He graduated from Topeka High School in 1945 and then served in the US Army. He attained the rank of Sergeant and was stationed in Arkansas and North Carolina.

Bob retired in 1989 as the Assistant Chief Enforcement Officer of the Kansas Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. He and his brother Ray had owned and operated Bob & Ray’s Phillips 66 for 20 years in Topeka. He was a member of St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Valley Falls, a charter member of Topeka Moose Lodge 555, and a member of American Legion Post 225 at Ozawkie. He was a former member of Orient Lodge No. 51 A.F. & A.M. in Topeka.
In 1990 he enjoyed campaigning for Kansas Legislative District 47, but was unsuccessful.

He married Elizabeth J. “Betty” Stockman, June 22, 1968, at Topeka. He was preceded in death by a grandson, Jonathan Kaspar, June 4, 2010, his brother, Raymond Hazzard, and his sister, Martha Jane Reynolds.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Hazzard, of the home; his son, Daniel (Tammy) Hazzard, Leavenworth; his daughter, Susan (Jeff) Kaspar, Topeka; four grandchildren, Courtney Hazzard, Brandon Hazzard, Jen (James) Arbuthnot and Cody (Danielle) McCarter; one great-grandson, Caleb McCarter; and two nephews, Ray Hazzard,  and Steven Hazzard.

A Memorial Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2017, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Valley Falls. A Rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m. Monday, at Mercer Funeral Home in Valley Falls. At 7:00 p.m. military honors will be conducted by Grahem-Herbers Post 3084, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Visitation will follow. Inurnment will be at Mt. Calvary Cemetery at St. Marys, KS at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Memorial contributions may be made to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church or to the American Heart Association and sent c/o Mercer Funeral Home, PO Box 6, Valley Falls, KS 66088. Online condolences are welcome at www.mercerfuneralhomes.com.