On December 6, 2025, Janice Paulina Hazen, an 88-year-old beloved member of the Belgrade, Minnesota community, died at St. Cloud Hospital from critical injuries received in a motor vehicle accident in rural Kandiyohi County.
The collision occurred at approximately midday on December 6 near the junction of 163rd Street Northeast and 38th Avenue Northeast, north of Atwater. A southbound pickup truck reportedly did not yield the right of way and collided with an eastbound SUV in which Hazen was a passenger.
Emergency units from several agencies, including Kandiyohi County Rescue and the Atwater Fire Department, responded quickly. Hazen and the driver of the SUV were transported by air ambulance to the hospital, while the occupant of the pickup was taken by ground ambulance with less serious injuries.
Officials have stated that Hazen’s death resulted from complications due to blunt force trauma sustained in the crash. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances of the failure to yield at the stop-controlled intersection.
The SUV’s driver, 74-year-old Robert Knutson of Spicer, Minnesota, sustained significant but not life-threatening injuries and was reported in stable condition as of December 9. The driver of the pickup, a 52-year-old man from Brooten whose identity has not been disclosed pending potential charges, received treatment for minor injuries at the scene.
Janice was born on March 15, 1937, in rural Kandiyohi County to Paul and Eleanor Swanson. Raised on the family farm, she developed a strong sense of community and diligence that remained with her throughout her life. After graduating from Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School in 1955—where she was skilled in home economics and served as class secretary—she married her high school sweetheart, Dale Hazen, in 1958. Together they established a family farm, where they shared the rhythms of agricultural life and cherished holiday gatherings.
Family was Janice’s central focus. She was a loving mother to her three children—David, Michael, and Linda—and a doting grandmother to eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. The family often assembled each year for gatherings at Green Lake.
Her daily life reflected a steady faith as a participant at Belgrade United Methodist Church, along with pastimes such as cultivating heirloom tomatoes and knitting blankets for newborn children. She enjoyed visiting with neighbors over coffee, often recounting stories from her Norwegian ancestry.
The community of Belgrade grieves the sudden loss of Janice, yet finds comfort in the lasting example of her gentle strength and deep affection, which enriched the fabric of rural Minnesota life. Services are being arranged through the Harvey Anderson and Johnson Funeral Home in Willmar. A preliminary plan has been made for a funeral on December 12 at her church in Belgrade, to honor the enduring relationships she helped build.
