Hazel Murphy was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1916, the only daughter in a family with 4 brothers. Her grandparents had emigrated from Ireland in the 1800’s in hopes of offering their children a better life and all that the new America had to offer. That hope was later fulfilled in the lives of their grandchildren as Hazel and her brothers grew up in the post-war era of the roaring 20’s. Family gatherings always featured wonderful meals including tasty treats from both the new world and the old. Chocolate baked goods became one of the Murphy clan's favorite deserts.

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Hazel’s uncle was a vice president of John Deere and Company and when John Deere bought the Waterloo Boy Tractor Company in 1918, Hazel's father opened one of the first John Deere Tractor dealerships in the country. Hazel’s aunts and uncles encouraged her parents to send her to "finishing school”, however, Hazel's parents had higher goals for their children. Hazel and her brothers all attended college, the first generation of Murphy’s to attain college degrees.

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During college she met and fell in love with a young law school student. Following his graduation from law school in 1940, he joined the navy and was as assigned duty on an Admiral's staff aboard a Heavy Cruiser at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. While he was away, Hazel began her 40 year career as a school teacher. At that time, female teachers were not allowed to be engaged or married so they kept their engagement a secret, with plans to be married at Pearl Harbor on Valentines Day 1942. Needless to say the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 dramatically changed their plans. Separated by war, the two did not see each other for four years, but carried on a romance by mail with daily letter writing. When he returned home in 1944 on his first leave, they were married. After a 7 day honeymoon, he went back to the war, serving on the cruiser USS Pittsburgh  in the South Pacific, returning home to civilian life in late 1945.

 

Hazel, her husband and her brothers continued to own and operated the John Deere Dealership for 40 years. The mother of four children, Hazel successfully balanced her teaching career, the John Deere business and the lives of children.

 

One of Hazel’s favorite treats for her children were her brownies. Hazel’s brownies were always a big part of her children’s lives: lunch box treats, after school snacks, Girl Scout meetings, Boy Scout events, summer little leagues, swim camp and many family gatherings.

 

With great love, Hazel’s old-fashioned traditions of wholesomeness and original flavor have been carried on by a new generation offering new hip flavors like coffee-espresso, creme brûlée, golden almond and chocolate toffee. We hope you'll enjoy sharing Hazel’s Gourmet Brownies as much as she did!