Janice Hazard

Janice Lorraine Blackson-Hazard was born April 21, 1951 in Omaha, NE to Ajax Blackson (Louisiana) and Nellie Sample(Mississippi). As the second child of 3, she grew up in the South Omaha community along with her sisters. Janice attended Jungmann Elementary School, Marrs Jr. High School, and graduated from Omaha Tech High School in 1969.

She was an active youth member of Allen Chapel AME Church where she sang in the choir. She was always willing to serve and participate in youth events rather it be church picnics, Easter, or Christmas programs. Whatever the occasion, she was always eager to participate; and if she was involved, it was sure to be a success. She attended Woodson Community Center where she took up cooking, sewing and arts and crafts, which was her favorite. She would often make outfits for her family. She loved cooking. So much so, that the family loved to gather for her delicious home cooked meals. In her younger years, she spent her summers in Mississippi with her mother, sister, nieces, and nephew. She looked forward to packing suitcases and preparing sack lunches for the long bus rides. It was these trips that motivated her to stand up for injustices throughout our history.

In her younger years, Janice played softball with the infamous El Diablo Queens. She worked several jobs until she found her calling at the Kiddie Kollege Daycare Center under the supervision of the founder, The Late LaFern Williams. Janice was a haven of hope for the neighborhood children. She had a deep passion for celebrating holidays and special occasions. She created haunted houses and nativity scenes. You might even find her dressing as Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny. She also worked for Ramada Reservations for a number of years until their closing & she went on to retire.

Janice was united in Holy Matrimony to Arthur “Tony” Hazard- “Pretty Tony what they called him”...for 42 loving years. What a treat it was to be in their company for there was always joy and laughter. There was never a dull moment.

Janice is preceded in death by her husband: Tony Hazard; father: Ajax Blackson; mother: Nellie “Mama” Sample; sisters: Jeanette (West) Tryon; Lina Mae Pratt; aunt: Sadie L. Hodges; nieces: Diane Pratt, Devona Pratt-Cooper, Jasmine Pratt, Jaya Moore-Clark; nephews: Kevin Pratt, Lamont Pratt, Micah Commodore.

Janice leaves to forever cherish her memory, sister: Ernestine Mitchell of Memphis, TN; daughters: Monica (Darwin Sr.) Robinson; Leslie Blackson (Special Friend Glen Green) both of Omaha, NE; stepdaughters: Kenya Morgan, Traci (Wade) Ward, Sharie “Cookie” Plunkett; stepsons; Arthur Plunkett, Kunta Plunkett; sister-in-law: Diana Hazard of Akron, OH; granddaughter: Fantasia “Boo” Blackson of Omaha, NE; grandsons: Justin Blackson, Darwin Robinson Jr., Darshawn Robinson, Darvelle Robinson, Darmonte Robinson of Omaha, NE; special friends Margarete Durant, Marvie Sullivan, Ronnie Mae Valentine, Mozetta Mosley; as well as a host of other grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

May her memory be forever etched in your heart!