Harriet Ann Hewitt

HEWITT, Harriet Ann Whisenhunt, age 84, passed away on June 28th at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida after a brief illness. Harriet was born in Cope, South Carolina, and was an only child.  She graduated from Orangeburg High School in 1950 and was a top-scorer on her school basketball team.  She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1954, where she was head majorette from her sophomore through her senior years and was the first majorette to ever receive a scholarship. She was also president of the ZTA sorority at USC. Harriet was an avid sports and outdoor enthusiast. She taught lifesaving, swimming, baton twirling and water skiing and personally enjoyed many more sports, including snow skiing and tennis.  She was a physical education teacher at Plant High School in Tampa, Fla; a science and health teacher and basketball coach at both North Charleston High School and Garrett High in Charleston, SC - the latter team she led to win the lower South Carolina State championship. When United States Tennis Association local league play was first organized in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Harriet organized and headed up the local association. The Grand Strand Tennis Association grew to over 2,000 players.  She won many tennis awards and eventually became Vice President of the South Carolina Tennis Association. Harriet Ann had a sharp wit, a big heart, loved adventure and travel, had a legendary love for animals, and was constantly developing new hobbies – cultivating roses and orchids, ceramics, photography, macramé, crosswords, puzzles, adult coloring books, and many more.  She was predeceased by her daughter Karen Miller Hewitt; is survived by her husband, Dr. James Carlisle Hewitt; her two children Kelly Ann Hewitt, and James (Jay) C. Hewitt Jr. and his partner Wyndham Stopford; two grandchildren, Kristin Nicole Hewitt Brown and Daniel Kaiser Gibbs; and her beloved Australian Shepherd Obie Hewitt. The Hewitt family wishes to give heartfelt thanks to the dedicated team in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at Tampa General Hospital for their highly-skilled and compassionate care for Harriet.  A memorial service will be held at The Brooksville Chapel of the Merritt Funeral Home on Tuesday, July 5th at 4PM (2 South Lemon Avenue, Brooksville, FL 1-352-796-6699). A church service and celebration of life will also be held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in later July (details to come). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to K9 Partners for Patriots in Harriet’s name online at www.K9PartnersforPatriots.com or mailed to 16230 Aviation Loop Drive, Brooksville, FL  34604.

ARRANGEMENTS BY

MERRITT FUNERAL HOME

BROOKSVILLE, FLORIDA

(352) 796-6699

"Family Owned and Operated"

www.merrittfuneral.com