Hazel Mae Courts

Hazel Jeffers Courts was born October 31,1933 in Branch, Louisiana to Percy and Sissy Jeffers. Hazel grew up in Branch and received her elementary education at Branch Elementary where her father was the principal and also her teacher. After elementary school she attended Rayne High School where she graduated. She then moved to Texas to pursue an education in nursing from Hotel Dieu Nursing School. Hazel graduated from Hotel Dieu in 1955 as a RN. Soon after, she married Sonny Courts. They moved to Vidor, settled down and had four girls; Jennifer, Julie, Jill and Jackie. While raising her family, she also began her nursing career returning to Hotel Dieu working as an RN and then to Baptist Hospital in Beaumont as the charge nurse in surgery. She ran a tight ship, as some have said, in the OR until retirement in 2002 when she retired to nurse Sonny, her husband of 47 years of brain cancer. After Sonny died, Hazel continued serving the Lord through acts of service at the Methodist Church in Vidor, helping to raise her grandkids, nursing family members with illnesses and after surgeries, and preparing lunch every Sunday after church for the family. For this reason, she was nominated and awarded Hometown Hero in January of 2019. In addition, you could always find her sitting at her bar watching any LSU sport the teams were participating in. But she especially loved LSU football. Hazel would attend Vidor football games as well. She loved LSU and the Pirates. Hazel loved doing crossword puzzles, sewing, cooking, baking, playing games, and quilting. She lovingly made quilts as wedding gifts for her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Hazel is preceded in death by her parents, Percy and Sissy Jeffers, husband Sonny Courts, daughter Julie Saunders, sister Ouida Merritt, brother LLoyd Jeffers, brother Boyd Jeffers, and brother Frank Jeffers. Hazel is survived by her sister Carlis Cummings and husband Tim of Denver Colorado, daughter Jennifer Bourgeois of Vidor, daughter Jill Harper and husband Paul of Vidor, daughter Jackie Farmer and husband DeWayne of Vidor, granddaughter Alexis Parkerson and husband TJ of Denham Springs, Louisiana, granddaughter Ashley Saunders of Vidor, granddaughter Katie Bourgeois of Baytown, granddaughter Dominique Wilcox and husband Gerrad, granddaughter Bree Hraiz and husband Murad, grandson Branch Harper and wife Amy of Kirbyville, grandson Dusty Harper of Vidor and 9 great grandchildren; Tyler, Gunner, Rylen, Landyn, Gemma, Nooreddin, LLano, Lylah, and Boone. The family would like to extend our love and appreciation to Kadie Free, Cassie Roshto, Janeen Odom, Helen Lesher, Vidor First Methodist Church, Intrepid Hospice, and The Alzheimer’s Association for their continued love, support and care of our Mother.