Hazel Irene Pinkerton, 96, of Solomons MD, formerly of California, New York, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Spain passed away on November 19, 2010 in Solomons, MD. She was born on October 17, 1914 in Balboa, CA to the late Nellie Vaughan and George E. Spencer.

She was the loving wife to Capt. Richard D. Pinkerton whom she married in California in 1937 and he preceded her in death in September 1997.

Hazel was a Secretary for the Latin American Bureau, a division of the U.S. State Department for 16 years and retired in 1979. She moved to Calvert County, MD in 1996 from Bethesda, MD. She loved gardening, needlework, and painting.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brother Albert Spencer.

Hazel is survived by her children, Barbara Stephon of E. Lansing, MI, John Pinkerton and wife Kathy of Blacksburg, VA, Margaret Rymer and husband Gary of Prince Frederick, MD and Deborah Stinnett of Honolulu, HI; ten grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, January 6, 2011 from 2-4 PM in the Rausch Funeral Home Chapel, Lusby, MD where a funeral service will be offered at 4 PM with Fr. Bob Stephenson officiating. Interment will be on Friday, January 7, 2011 at 10 AM in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

The family request memorial contributions to be made in Hazel's memory to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, www.nmcrs.org, 875 N. Randolph St., Suite 225, Arlington, VA 22203.

Arrangements provided by Rausch Funeral Home.