Homedale High School

Class of 1965

    Parents of Tom Levanger

Owyhee Chronicle

October 13, 1949

            Services Held Mon. for Neils Levanger, 28

            Victim of Polio, Ill Only Short Time, Dies Fri. at Boise

            Funeral services for Neils Levanger, 28, Homedale's first polio victim who died October 7 at a Boise hospital, were conducted Monday afternoon at the Homedale L.D.S. church. Speakers were Bishop E. J. Bergeson and Reuben Call. Laurence Stettler read the obituary and Denzil Waite gave the benediction. A. E. Byington conducted the service.

            Pallbearers were his brothers Ross, Bernard, and Ray Levanger and his brothers-in-law John Carson, James Hansen, and Jay Hunt. Interment was at the Wilder cemetery where Laurel E. Leavitt dedicated the grave.

            Services at the church included the opening prayer by Leland Waite; a vocal duet, "Whispering Hope," by Lucy Hansen and Mrs. Leonard Thomas; a vocal solo, "Face to Face," Forrest Blake; mixed quartet of Mrs. Elmer Frank, Mrs. O. C. Carson, Laurel Leavitt, and Leslie Tidwell singing "Oh, My Father," with Mrs. Glen Kofoed singing a solo part. Mrs. Frank played piano music.

            Women of the relief society had charge of decorations and the many floral tributes.

            Mr. Levanger was born at Orderville, Utah, July 17, 1921. With his parents he came to Homedale in 1938 from Glendale, Utah. He married Hazel Hansen May 22, 1942, and since that time they have lived in the Succor Creek community.

            He had been ill for a few days with what was thought to be "flu," until paralysis began to develop. He entered a Boise hospital and was placed in an iron lung but did not respond to treatment.

            He was a member of the Homedale Latter Day Saints church and took an active part in church work and L.D.S. affairs.

            Survivors include his widow; three small sons Jimmy, Tommy, and Terry; his parents Mr. and Mrs. John Levanger, Homedale; three brothers Ray, Ross and Bernard, and one sister Mrs. Delna Carson, all of the Succor Creek community; and two other sisters Mrs. Alber Fontaine, Boise, and Mrs. Irene Blake, Caldwell.

            Relatives of Mrs. Levanger who attended the funeral were her parents Mr. and Mrs. William Hansen, Jim, Lucy and Ann, Rupert; Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Thomas, Salt Lake City, Utah; Mr. and Mrs. Jay Hunt, Corvallis, Ore., and Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Hunter, American Falls.

Idaho Press-Tribune

January 2, 2006

            Hazel Rachel Hansen Levanger Croshaw

            Hazel Rachel Hansen Levanger Croshaw, 87, passed away on Dec. 31, 2005 surrounded by family at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho. She had been at St. Luke’s since suffering a massive stroke in her Boise home.

            She has been a resident of Boise since 1985 when she moved here from the family farm in Homedale. Her neighbors knew her as an avid gardener and caregiver to all those in need. She lived independently in her own home until her death.

            Hazel was born September 1, 1918 in Pleasant Valley, Idaho, the fourth of twelve children born to William Hans and Naomi Mabel Hansen. She was raised in rural central Idaho, primarily in the Rupert area, where the family did whatever they could find to survive, from mining along the banks of the Snake River to fishing and hunting for food. Her family history recounts stories about the years the family lived in rooms dug into the earth along the river.

            After graduating from teacher’s college (Albion Normal School), Hazel took a position teaching grade school in Homedale. It was while in Homedale that she met and married Neils Murry Levanger on May 22, 1942. They bought an 80-acre farm Southwest of Homedale and had four sons together. The last was born October 25, 1949, just eighteen days after the loss of her husband to polio on October 7.

            Hazel married James Lee Croshaw on December 7, 1951 and remained in Homedale on the family farm until after his death on July 1, 1983. Together they had two more children, a daughter and a son.

            Hazel served two missions for the LDS church, both in Mississippi. She was dedicated to service in the LDS church all of her life and will be missed by many of the members she cared for.

            Hazel was preceded in death by both of her husbands; all but four of her brothers and sisters; and one of her children. She is survived by two brothers, Jim and Eph; two sisters, Louise and Billie; one step-daughter, Lorraine Croshaw Garner; and five children, Jim Levanger, Terry Levanger, Tom Levanger, Julie Croshaw Booth and John Croshaw. She is also survived by thirty-two grandchildren; and about that may great-grandchildren.

            Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2006 at the Castle Park Ward LDS chapel located at 5900 Castle Drive, Boise. Friends may call to visit with the family from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to the services. Interment will be at the Wilder Cemetery. Services are under the direction of the Relyea Funeral Chapel.

Owyhee Chronicle

August 10, 1983

            James L. Croshaw

            Funeral services were conducted at the Homedale Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 2 p.m. last Wednesday for James Lee Croshaw, 72, who died July 30 at a Nampa hospital following a lengthy illness. Bishop Stephen Carson of the First Ward officiated.

            President Joe Ison was speaker and tribute was offered by Tom Levanger, stepson. Prayers were given by Marcel Garner, Jim Hansen, Ray Levanger and Terry Levanger. Ray Knight read the life story.

            Marilyn Waite was organist and accompanist. Linda Carson and Susan Maybon sang "I Walk Today Where Jesus Walked" and "In the Garden." The grandchildren sang "Families Can Be Together Forever."

            Honorary bearers were Ted Louder, Ted Carson, Floyd Breach, Eph Hansen, Vern Davenport, Deward Jorgenson, Darwin Croshaw, Hyrum Powell and Jess Payne.

            Casket bearers were Roger Garner, Mike Garner and Tunis Garner, grandsons; John Croshaw, son; Jim Booth and Gary Haws, sons-in-law. Interment was in Kohlerlawn cemetery, Nampa.

            He was born Jan. 1, 1911, at Oxford. He moved with his family to Pocatello as a child where he attended schools. He began working for a gravel pit at the age of 9, sorting rocks and then later he ran a team and scraper for the gravel pit. During the winter he helped his father haul hay to distant farms. He later worked for Pope's Dairy in Pocatello.

            In 1931, he married Ethel Andrus in Pocatello, where they also made their home. He worked for Continental Oil Co. as a warehouseman and delivered gas throughout the Arbon Valley and other farming areas. In 1947, the moved to a farm southwest of Homedale where he milked cows and farmed. His wife died on Jan. 18, 1950.

            He continued his farming and also working for other farmers in the area. He married Hazel Levanger Dec. 7, 1951, in Homedale. He farmed until his retirement in 1973.

            Survivors include his wife of Homedale; two daughters, Lorraine Garner of Nampa, and Julie Booth of Middleton; a son, John of Holladay, Utah; three stepsons, Jim Levanger of Salt Lake City, Terry Levanger of Boise, and Tom Levanger of Phoenix, Ore.; two sisters, Mabel Pope of Turlock, Calif., and Bertha Zakel of Raymond, Wash.; a brother, Darwin Croshaw of Pocatello; eight grandchildren; nine step-grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Lee, Jr., and a stepson, Murry Levanger.