Hazel Owen Kitchen, 87, of Monroe, NC formerly of Brevard, peacefully passed away August 22, 2013 at the home of her daughter. She was born to the late William Victor Owen and Ethel Flora Owen of Lake Toxaway, NC on September 15, 1925. Along with her parents she was preceded by her husband James Herman Kitchen, three sisters, Eva Mae Williamson, Rebecca Bracken and Mildred Hall; five brothers, Virgil, Clyde, Curtis, Maurice, and Kermit Owen. After her father’s untimely death from an auto accident in 1930, she and three of her older siblings were sent to live in Thomasville, NC at the Baptist Children’s Home (Mills Home). She lived there from age five until she graduated high school in 1943. Hazel later returned to Brevard and went to work at Ecusta. It was at the Ecusta July 4th picnic in Camp Straus in 1945, that she met and later married her husband James. After her his death in 1982, Hazel enjoyed returning to Mills Home each August for homecoming where she reconnected with classmates and friends. She loved going back to the Fleming House and talk with the young girls who lived there, sharing stories of what her life was like while she lived there. One story she loved to tell them was when she was a young girl on a cold December morning standing at the kitchen sink, plucking a chicken(which she hated to do), it came over the radio that Pearl Harbor was under attack. The girls loved to hear her stories and were always full of questions. She loved that! Hazel donated (to the Mill’s Home Mitchell Museum) her graduation picture and gown that each girl made in their senior year. She purchased commemorative bricks for the sidewalk at the Mitchel Museum in honor of her brothers and sister who had been at Mills Home with her. She also purchased one for Cookie, the matron who so kindly loved and cared for her when she first arrived as a scared little girl who had never been away from home. Hazel always said she enjoyed her time at Mills Home and that is where she received her strong Baptist faith. She was a member of Glady Branch Baptist Church for over 50 years. Surviving are her loving children, son, Brock Kitchen and wife Maylar of Charlotte, daughter, Karen Turner and husband Jim of Monroe, NC, sister, Edith Wooley of Pant City, FL, grandchildren, Brian Kitchen and fincee Tisha of Charleston, SC, Alexandra Kitchen of Charlotte, NC, Denise Moody and husband Monty of Boiling Springs, SC, Gretchen Holden and husband Bobby of Pickens, SC, Eric Hoxit of Chesne, SC, great grandchildren, Joseph and Jacob Kitchen, Hannah and Dylan Moody, and Ryan Holden. Graveside services were held Friday, 2:00PM, August 23, 2013 at Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory with the Rev. Tommy Owen officiating. On line condolences may be left at www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome.com Moody-Connolly Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.