After a long life well-lived, at the age of 92, Hazel Ruth Dean (Warner) passed away quietly on the evening of June 12, 2021 in Mission Hills, California of natural causes.

Born in Medina, Ohio on August 20, 1928 as the oldest child and only daughter of James and Ruby Warner. Her younger brother Don Warner predeceased her in 2002.

Hazel grew up in a small town in Ohio and lived through the depression. At the age of 16 she married her high school sweetheart, Glen Alva Buerge. Glen suffered health problems while living in Ohio and his medical treatment moved the family west to Bakersfield, CA. Eventually Glen succumbed to his illness and passed away. Before his passing, they had two children, Glen “Jerry” and James “Jim” Buerge. Her son Jim predeceased her in 2012. As a young 26-year old widow and mother of two, Hazel married John “Jack” Edward Caverly in Bakersfield, CA and together they had two children, John “Eddie” Jr. and Debrann “Debbie” Contreras. Life took their family in another direction and in 1977, John and Hazel divorced. At that time, Hazel moved to Northridge, CA with Debbie into her Devonshire Arms apartment where she resided for the remainder of her life, more than 44 years. She was well known by a few close neighbors and the apartment manager who became a friend. In a beautiful twist of fate, Debbie stayed in the apartment with Hazel these last few years, caring for her with love, just as Hazel did for her some four decades prior.

Nineteen seventy-seven was a pivotable year for Hazel as not only did she move into her very own apartment that year, but she also got her first driver’s license and began her working career. With her driver’s license came a lead foot. Hazel was known to get speeding tickets well until her late seventies which gave her the nickname, “Hot Rod Grandma”.

For more than twenty years Hazel worked at Del West first as a machinist, later as an inspector. Hazel looked forward to her sons dropping by and taking her to lunch during those days. She reveled in that her coworkers believed her sons to be her brothers because they claimed Hazel looked too young to have sons that age.

After her father James passed away in 1982, Hazel became the caregiver of her mother Ruby until Ruby's passing in 2000.
On January 17, 1994 a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck the heart of Northridge. Hazel’s resilience during this devasting natural disaster is a testament to how she lived her life, full of grace and full of strength.

Hazel loved to read romance novels, tabloid magazines and postcards from her loved ones. She was never one to turn down a donut for breakfast and was known to appreciate a good meal of southern fried chicken. She collected stuffed animals and photos of family. Her walls were never bare of those she cared about. Often you would hear her brag about her granddaughter’s homemade cookies which were her absolute favorite. She took great pride in her appearance with regular visits to the hair salon, nail shop and she never left the house without her lipstick.

She is survived by her children, Jerry Buerge and his wife Marsha, John Caverly and Debbie Contreras. She is also survived by her granddaughters, Cheryl, Diane, Jennifer, Julie, Annette and Joyca as well as her twelve great grandchildren, Harrison, Clare, Corrinn, Morae, Destiny, Trinidy, Austin, Kaleb, Lily, Archer, Mattalyn and Lincoln. She is remembered by all for her warmth and endless love. She cherished when family called, telling them how "they made her whole day" just by checking in with her. She is missed dearly.