Sister Hazel Williams, Gainesville Missionary And Band's Namesake, Dies At 91

New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Many are mourning the death of local Gainesville, FL missionary and great humanitarian, Sister Hazel Williams. She was the founder of Angel of Mercy in Gainesville Ministries. At 91 years old, Sister Hazel was well respected for her work with the homeless. She won many awards in her time. The mayor of Gainesville named her birthday, March 9th, as Gainesville's "Sister Hazel day." Band �Sister Hazel,� named after her, were personally impacted.
Ken Block of Sister Hazel Band stated, �We are saddened to report that our namesake and iconic community leader, Sister Hazel Williams, passed away on Friday night. In her 91 years on this Earth she created powerful waves and the humanitarian ripples of her life will roll on forever. As a band and as ambassadors for Gainesville and for her good name, we will do our best to continue to impact our world in positive ways with kind messages, thoughtful music, and powerful community experiences that are filled with love, inclusion, service, and joy.�
The news that Dr. Hazel Williams, known as �Sister Hazel,� passed away came as a surprise to the community. Details about her death have not been released. Her family said she was still active and independent at 91 years old. Sister Hazel's goddaughter is making funeral arrangements for the coming week.
Click here to watch a video of Sister Hazel Williams receiving an award from 5 Hour Energy Drink for her dedication to the community.
For nearly a century Sister Hazel Williams profoundly impacted countless people, often during the most challenging times of their lives. Selfless, immensely wise, brimming with integrity, a powerful speaker, and a spiritual powerhouse - Sister Hazel was a feisty and inspirational force who fought tirelessly for the less fortunate of our community and beyond. In 1993, her life of legendary deeds inspired a few Gainesville Florida college buddies with big aspirations to use the name �Sister Hazel� for our new band. Regardless of race, religion, income, age, orientation, education -- or anything else that could be used to define or divide people -- she would do whatever she could to get people who were down on their luck back on their feet, always making sure that they felt loved and valued. She had an endless passion for feeding the hungry, clothing and sheltering the homeless, and always leading by example. She especially had a deep desire to make sure that no child went to bed hungry. Much Love and respect, Ken, Drew, Jett. Ryan, and Mark (Sister Hazel Band)
About SISTER HAZEL BAND:
Originating from Gainesville, FL, Sister Hazel is comprised of five gifted, seasoned musicians whose well-spring of natural talent has been called "one of the Top 100 Most Influential Independent Performers of the last 15 years" by Performing Songwriter Magazine. Song "All for You" topped the adult alternative charts during the summer of 1997 and the success propelled their album to platinum status. Sister Hazel has been equally attentive to connecting with their audience through social media. In their first showing on the country music charts they made a strong debut with �Lighter In The Dark� at #4 on Billboard�s Top Country Albums chart, #6 on Billboard�s Independent Albums chart, #30 on Billboard's Top Current Albums chart and #79 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Living up to their fan-centered reputation, the band hosts annual events like �Hazelnut Hang,� that focuses on fan involvement and are co-founders of the Rockboat 13, a cruise featuring nonstop opportunities for fan/artist interaction. In addition to the events and touring, the band also gives back with Lyrics For Life. Founded by singer Ken Block, the charity unites musicians and celebrities for concerts and auctions to benefit cancer research and patient-care charities.
For more information on Sister Hazel visit https://www.sisterhazel.com. Follow Sister Hazel @SisterHazelBand and https://www.facebook.com/SisterHazel.