Obituary of Gladys Hazekamp

Gladys Hinchman Hazekamp was born on June 8, 1918 in the old Hinchman family homestead on Hinchman Avenue in Preakness, now Wayne, New Jersey. Her father was Frederick Clark Hinchman, and her mother was Lillian Mueller. The Reverend George Labaw, baptized Gladys on June 13, 1920 at the Preakness Reformed Church. Gladys was the youngest of three children. Her brothers were John and Roy. Her father, Frederick and his, brother, Theodore, owned a dairy farm and later created Hinchman's Bathing Beach, Inc., or "Pleasure Land," which was located on the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike in Preakness, New Jersey. Gladys helped feed the cows, and she was also a lifeguard at the bathing beach. Gladys attended the Preakness School on Hamburg Turnpike and was a member of the 1932 eighth-grade graduating class. She went on to attend Central High School in Paterson but did not graduate. In 1932, she was also a member of the Preakness Troop of the Girl Scouts of America. On March 2, 1936 (or 32), Gladys became a member of the Wayne Grange Chapter No. 145. It is here that she first met her husband, Matthew Herbert Hazekamp. In a journal, Gladys wrote: "Matt was a Grange member, and I was just joining the Grange. I was blindfolded to join, and we walked in a big circle around the Grange Hall in front of all the members. Helen, my cousin, and her brother, Fred, were joining the Grange too. I met Matt after the meeting was over; he came over and talked to us. Then he asked us to have coffee and cake with him in the next room. At the next meeting, he asked if he could walk me home from the Grange. After that, he would come down to the bathing beach. Matt used to love to sing. He sang in the Grange when they had entertainment after the meetings, and at all the Minstrell Shows the Grange had. One time, at the Fair, which was held on the school playgrounds, and the Grange would be open, there were tables set up with all kinds of things to buy. There were seats up front near the stage, and a Grange lady member played the piano. She asked Matt to sing on the stage; I sat near the piano. He sang to the people, and then walked over on the stage and sang this love song to me, looking down at me. The people were all trying to see who he was singing to. I think I turned red as a beet." Gladys and Matt were married on April 20, 1937 at The Preakness Reformed Church in Preakness (Wayne), New Jersey. They lived in various apartments in Paterson and then with Gladys' mother after her father died in 1940. In 1948, Matt obtained a building permit from the Wayne Township, New Jersey Building Department to build their home at 80 Hinchman Avenue. Gladys helped Matt lay the cinderblocks for the foundation of their home. They had a long and happy marriage and were just two months away of celebrating their 60th Wedding Anniversary when Matt passed away on February 15, 1997. Gladys and Matt have three children - Matthew Roy, Robert John, and Lorraine Lillian. They have eight grandchildren and three step grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren - with one more due shortly. Gladys was a quiet person, but she liked being around people. Her family and friends were the most important to her, and she loved entertaining. She was a generous and kind person. The family always gathered for birthdays and holidays, and she cooked many meals and baked many cakes, pies, and cookies for everyone to enjoy. She loved being outside gardening, picnicking, swimming, or just sitting and watching the birds. Gladys liked to sew, knit, and crochet. She also enjoyed playing cards, singing, dancing and playing the piano. Most of all, she loved being around her family and friends. The funeral will be Saturday at 10:00 am at the funeral home and will be officiated by James Hazekamp. Interment will be in Preakness Reformed Church Cemetery, Wayne. Memorials donations in Mrs. Hazekamp's name may be made to Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001