Mrs. Hazel (Myrick) Gowling, 96, died October 11, 2012 at Heath Village in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Hazel was born in Mobile, Alabama on February 18, 1916, daughter of Ruby Burroughs and John Myrick. She graduated in 1938 from Florida State College for Women with a BS degree in Home Economics. She was a teacher for a short time in Florida. In 1942, she married Lt. Robert Gowling in Pensacola, Florida. After World War II, Hazel and Bob lived in Levittown, New York for 10 years, in Wyckoff, New Jersey for forty years and moved to Heath Village in 1999.

Mrs. Gowling was predeceased by her husband Bob who died in 2002 and by a nephew, John Myrick, in 2009. She was also predeceased by her siblings Helen Gabler, John M. Myrick and Claude J. Myrick. She is survived by her nieces Jane Myrick, Margaret Lehman, Barbara Matthews, Kathryn Myrick, Sandra Myrick and Helen Kincheloe. She is also survived by close family friends, Jane and Russell Reilly, Barbara Hippe, her godchild Patti White and Pamela Hippe.

Hazel was an active member of Church of the Good Shepherd in Midland Park, New Jersey and a regular volunteer gardening participant at Skylands Botanical Gardens in Ringwood, New Jersey. Hazel was also an avid bird and wildlife watcher. She had many friends and will be dearly missed by all.

Arrangements under the direction of the Cochran Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840. All services are private.