Stella M. Hazzard

Stella Mae Sesser, Draper, Baumgartner, Hazzard, 96 of Hot Springs, Arkansas passed away Friday, March 27, 2026, at home wrapped in her mother's quilt and surrounded by a few members of her loving family. Stella was born Dec. 23, 1929, outside of Malvern, Arkansas to the late Claude Ramey and Audie Bridges Sesser.

Stella Mae could be found in her favorite chair reading her Bible, doing word searches, watching Andy Griffith, Wheel of Fortune or Dr. David Jeremiah. Stella also loved to share stories of her life from the dirt roads and horse drawn wagons of Malvern, to her switchboard days in Malvern and Hot Springs at Southwestern Bell. Stella was a graduate of Malvern High School in 1948, while also working at the switchboard. Stella would meet her late husband Leo Draper while working as a switchboard operator, in which he fell in love with her voice and courted her over the phone. They would marry in 1949, and raise his two boys Roger and Kenneth. They would relocate to San Manuel, Arizona and return three years later to Hot springs. Leo and Stella would have a son Daniel in 1958. After Leo's tragic death in 1963, she would relocate their son to Ft Collins, Colorado transferring to Mountain Bell.

Roger and Ken, being grown by this time, had started lives of their own. Stella would meet Milton Baumgartner, a farmer and rancher with two small children, Joyce and John. In 1967, Milt and Stella would marry and raise their three children ages 8, 9 and 10 in Briggsdale, Colorado on his farm. After many years of church youth groups, 4H, PTA, basketball and many other activities Stella, would return to work with Mountain Bell Communications in FT Collins, Colorado. This is where Stella would retire with 27 years in the telephone industry. Milton passed away in 1990. In 1993, Stella and Jack Hazzard, a veteran, married and divided their time between Eaton, Colorado and Lorain, Ohio. Stella and Jack would travel to 49 states, St. Thomas, Mexico, Canada, Bahamas and Belfast, Ireland. Jack and Stella moved to Hot Springs in 1998, until her death.

Stella was a volunteer driver for the DAV, a member of Hot Springs Baptist Church, a volunteer for radio stations, KFLT Tucson, Arizona and WCRF in Cleveland, Ohio. Stella has had such a colorful life with stories of train hopping, the depression, hitchhiking with Leo, epic snowstorms, Grandpa Baumgartner homesteading the land in Colorado to her travels with Jack and staying in a brothel in North Dakota and her visits to Ireland and seeing Jacks heritage and relatives. Stella has such a love for her Lord and Savior that we take comfort in knowing we will see her again. Stella made sure she taught her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren the Gospel of Christ and his loving gift of salvation.

Stella was predeceased by her parents, Claude Sesser of Malvern Arkansas, L. Gorden and Audie Easter of Malvern Arkansas, husbands, Leo Draper of Malvern Arkansas, Milton Baumgartner of Briggsdale, Colorado, two sons, Roger Draper and Kenneth Draper, two brothers, Austin (Jack) and Billy Joe (Pete) Sesser, a sister, Bobbie Easter, a step-sister, Joyce McDaniel, a step-brother, D.E. Easter, Grandson Benjamin Leo Draper, a great-granddaughter, Brittany Teague, a great-great grandson, Jaden Johnson.

Stella is survived by her husband, Jack A. Hazzard of Hot Springs Arkansas, sons, Daniel (Ellen) Draper of Bismarck/Hot Springs Arkansas, John (Beth) Baumgartner of Greeley, Colorado; daughter, Joyce Baumgartner of Briggsdale Colorado, a step-son, Michael Hazzard of Ohio, two step-daughters, Linda (John) Williams of Ohio and Lori Czompoly of Ohio, a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

We as her family would like to thank those who have prayed, called, stopped by to visit and brought food this last few weeks. A special thanks to Mrs. Freddie Windell, her dear friend, Mike Smith of Hot Springs Baptist Church, Brittany, her nurse from Gentiva Hospice who visited, called and text multiple times a day, Allen Coker with Gentiva who prayed and kept up their spirits since November. Jack and Stella's caregiver Norma who helped us take such loving care of Stella and Jack. We are so humbled by the prayers, love and compassion shown to Stella, Jack, Dan, Amanda and I during this heart-wrenching time. We appreciate you more than words can express.

Funeral Services will be officiated by Allen Coker at Caruth Hale Funeral Home in the Chapel at 11 a.m., on Thursday, April 2. Visitation will be an hour prior to the service.

Online condolences athttp://www.caruth-hale.com.