Hazel Irene McCullough of Springfield, Missouri entered into her eternal rest on December 19, 2012. She was born December 23, 1923 in Monroe County, Missouri, one of six children born to George D. and Venus Cleary Ball. On December 31, 1945, she married Dr. Max Hill McCullough in Sturgeon, Missouri. Max and Irene were lifelong teachers. She began her teaching career in the country schools of Monroe County, Missouri and retired after many years of service in the Willard, MO school district. She enjoyed being a student as well as a teacher. She was a graduate of Madison, MO High School, the University of Missouri Columbia and achieved a Master's Degree from Drury University. Irene was preceded in death by her husband Max, two brothers, George T. Ball and Kenneth Ball and one sister, Mildred McCraw, as well as her parents and an infant son. She is survived by her sons Michael McCullough of Springfield, MO and Norman McCullough and wife Renee and grandchildren Sean and Kaila of Maryland; one brother Millard Ball and wife Lili of Clarksville, Tennessee; Katherine Young and husband Joe of Centralia, MO; sisters-in-law Betty Ball and Joan Ball of Centralia, MO; several nieces, nephews, and special family. Visitation will be Friday, December 28, 2012 at Gorman-Scharpf Brentwood Chapel from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Memorial Services will be held Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 2:00pm at Fenton Funeral Chapel in Sturgeon, MO with burial at Mt. Horeb Cemetery with the Reverend Larry Ball, nephew, officiating. Special thanks to Dr. Maria DelaRosa and the staff of Culpepper Place for their loving care.