Obituary of Hazel Brill Brampton
Hazel Brill Brampton
Ithaca - Hazel Brill Brampton, age 93, died in her home in Ithaca, N.Y., February 23, 2019.
Hazel will be remembered fondly by her daughters, Beth Brampton of Lodi, CA and Bonnie Brampton of Cambridge, MA, her grandchildren Patrick and Alexander Miller, and her cousins Lois Lounsbery, Ann Owens, Hilda English, John Lounsbery, Georgia Westervelt and Robert Brill. Many dear friends will feel her loss, including her loyal and hard-working caregiver, Kim Boylan. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel and Meredith Brill and her brother, Meredith Brill, Jr.
Hazel was born in Ithaca on May 15, 1925. She grew up in Slaterville Springs, and lived most of her life in Tompkins County. Hazel graduated from Ithaca High School, class of 1942, from Cornell University (BA) in 1946, and from Smith College (MSW) in 1948.
After marrying and having children, she helped her husband, the late George Brampton, run his medical practice. In 1960 she joined the Tompkins County Department of Social Services as a licensed clinical social worker. She continued her career as a social worker at Head Start and the school district's Pre-Kindergarten program, and went on to co-found the Displaced Homemakers program. In 1991, she retired from Tompkins County Mental Health Services, where she was a counselor.
Hazel will be remembered for her sharp sense of humor, her warm laugh, her early and enthusiastic feminism, and her broad interest in the world. Also for her berets and her teal-colored clothing.
Hazel loved music, photography and dancing. She was a dedicated advocate for social justice. Later in her life, genealogy became an abiding passion.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, at 11:00 am in the Unitarian Church, Ithaca. Feel free to wear teal or turquoise in her honor. A reception will follow in the church parlor. In lieu of flowers, friends may send contributions in Hazel's name to Hospicare, or Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service of Tompkins County.
In Loving Memory
Hazel Brampton
1925 - 2019
