Life Story: MarShalla Hazen - Oregonian

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By Joan Harvey, The Oregonian

February 13, 2010, 2:00PM

MarShalla was never without a dog. She celebrated Halloween several years ago with Olivia (left) and Jean-Luc. One day in the 1970s, MarShalla Hazen was thumbing through a supermarket magazine when she spotted an article on astrology. It intrigued her and led her to night classes. Before long, it was a passionate hobby. Then it became a profession. From that first day, MarShalla's eyes were in the heavens.

MarShalla Stewart was born in Phoenix, Ariz., in 1934, soon after her father, Marshall, was killed in a car accident. Her name is a variation on his.

Born: MarShalla Stewart, Sept. 16, 1934, in Phoenix, Ariz.

Died: Jan. 21, 2010, in Portland

Survivors: Husband, Michael; daughters, Denise Erickson, Tamara Hazen and Paige Hazen; son, Richard Felker; sisters, Carol Palomino and Helen Joseph; brother, Robert Gamboni; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild

Remembrances: Hopewell House Hospice

She was raised in several towns in California, and her mother, a Christian Scientist, remarried. MarShalla was a baton twirler and worked on her high school newspaper. Later, she worked in assembly and inspection for BorgWarner for about 10 years. She was twice married and divorced, and had two children, Denise Felker in 1956 and Richard Felker in 1957.

She met and married Michael Hazen in 1964. They had two daughters, Tamara in 1965 and Paige in 1969.

In the 1970s, MarShalla's life began to change, and she came into her own in many ways. She had always loved animals and began raising and showing afghan hounds, including a national champion.

She read books on nutrition and took night classes with her mother. Soon, she banned refined sugars and processed flours from her kitchen, long before many others followed suit.

After becoming involved in astrology, she took astrology math classes and began doing charts by hand. With a scientific bent, she enjoyed the challenge of figuring out a person's birth time and date before computers made it easy. In 1986, she got her first computer and became adept with it. She had to consult other astrologers to find programs that would handle the mathematics involved.

She converted to Catholicism, Michael's religion, in 1986.

She began to join astrological associations and attend conventions; before long, she was speaking at them.

MarShalla was not as interested in preparing charts for individuals as she was in research. She developed an interest in serial killers and made charts for notorious ones, seeing many psychological patterns in their birth charts.

View full sizeMarShalla was born in Phoenix, Ariz., and raised in communities along the California coast. She studied the Green River murders, O.J. Simpson's chart and those of people surrounding the case of JonBenet Ramsey, the child beauty pageant contestant who was killed in her Boulder, Colo., home in 1996.

MarShalla had an idea of who she thought the killer was but didn't want to make her suspicions public. She published other findings in astrological journals. MarShalla also studied financial astrology and used her findings to invest in the stock market, making money.

She and Michael moved to Portland in 1990. For about five years, MarShalla published The Ascendant Magazine, which became a popular high-quality journal in the field. A quarterly, it was sold nationally and internationally. MarShalla wrote and edited articles, and drew cartoons and devised puzzles. When it became too big, she sold it to an East Coast publishing house.

Pretty and ebullient, MarShalla was popular with young people just getting into astrology. She took them under her wing, sharing her enthusiasm and broad knowledge.

She was similarly a role model for young people in Alcoholics Anonymous. Sober for more than 20 years, she attended meetings every day and spoke at conventions. She was a sponsor to many younger people, inspiring them with her success and dedication.

She made astrological charts for friends and family, who often sought advice about when to have surgery or go on a trip. If a daughter had a bad day, she always knew beforehand, saying, "Oh, well, your Mars is opposite your moon."

She was a dedicated gardener. When she decided to plant a vegetable garden, she found the best place for it -- in the middle of the front lawn. She was right; her garden of asparagus, tomatoes, interesting squash and other vegetables flourished.

View full sizeMarShalla loved the beach and was hoping to win a home in Gearhart at the time of her death. MarShalla loved shopping on QVC and online. She collected Betty Boop figurines, jewelry, art glass and shoes. Her large collection of shoes became a family joke. When she found a pair that felt good, she always said, "They're like walking on clouds." Michael also helped her return many pairs she bought from Zappos, a favorite online store.

She continued to try to eat healthy food but couldn't resist butter and bacon.

She loved dogs and was never without one. When she wanted a dog born on a day astrologically compatible with her birthday, she found Jean-Luc, a Bouvier de Flandres. He lived for 10 years and was followed by Max, another beloved Bouvier.

Her recent life was bedeviled by arthritis that curtailed much of the active life she loved. She had complications and problems for which doctors could find no diagnosis, and died in Hopewell House Hospice on Jan. 21 at age 75.

She was always young. She looked young, had a sunny disposition and a youthful, optimistic outlook. Some of her closest friends were far younger in years. She leaves a legacy with them, one of not looking down but of looking up to the heavens.

-- Joan Harvey

 

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