Hazel Withrow

Hazel Mae Craig was born on March 5, 1913 in Dorris, California. In 1925, her family attended their first Apostolic Faith camp meeting in Portland, Oregon. Later that year, they moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where an Apostolic Faith church had recently formed. Later, Hazel testified about how her family came into contact with the Gospel:

“When I was a little girl, we didn’t even have a Bible in our home, but the Lord was faithful to our family. In 1924, He sent a carload of Apostolic Faith people to the little country place in Dorris where we lived. They told us the Gospel story, and from the first meeting, I was spoiled for the world; I could not enjoy myself anymore. I prayed and the Lord came into my life. He made a marvelous change in my heart and in our home, too.”

While the Craigs lived in Klamath Falls, a member of the Portland congregation, George Hughes, began coming twice a month to give music lessons and help with the choir and orchestra. Hazel and her siblings were recipients of those lessons, and she played her violin faithfully in the orchestra for many years.

In 1946 the church in Klamath Falls closed. Some of Hazel’s siblings had married by then, so her family dispersed to various church locations from Eureka, California, to Port Angeles, Washington. On November 4, 1954, she married William Withrow in Medford, Oregon, and remained there until her death in 2010.

Hazel testified to a healing she received during those years: “The Gospel has been good down through the years. The Lord has healed me many times. In 1959, I became violently ill a few days before we were to leave for the annual camp meeting in Portland. We called the ministers to come in the middle of the night and pray for me. I felt the healing power of God go over my body, and the Lord spoke to my heart, ‘I am the Lord that healeth thee’ (Exodus 15:26). For three or four days I had such pain in my stomach that I couldn’t stand up straight, but I knew God had touched me. The moment we got in the car and started toward camp meeting—in the very first mile—the pain left. I love the Lord with all my heart. He means everything to me. I want to be faithful and true to Him.”

Although she had no children of her own, Hazel had a real love for young people and was very involved in Sunday school, acting as head of the Primary Department for a number of years in Medford.

In 1978, she and Ethel Martin from Eureka, California, made a trip to Newfoundland, Canada, and visited most of our churches there. About a year later, she was asked to return and help introduce the new Sunday school curriculum, Search and Answer. While there, she also established “round table” discussions for Sunday school teachers. As it was winter, travel was difficult, but she flew from Newfoundland to Goose Bay, Labrador, in a single engine aircraft. It seems the extreme temperatures did not freeze her willingness and enthusiasm.

In 1989, she made her last personal visit to Canada. It was the first year of the Newfoundland youth camp. She went as an assisting counselor, and had eight teenage girls in her cabin. She said they made her feel young.

In her later years, Hazel stated that she left her heart in Newfoundland. Her dedication and incredible contribution to their Sunday school program left quite an impression. She will long be remembered by those who had the privilege of meeting and working with her.

This testimony was provided by friends and family.