Carol Byrd Purcell Hewitt, aged 94, was born in Arcola, La., on Dec. 15, 1924, and died on Saturday, June 15, 2019. She was the youngest of five children born to Charles and Grace Purcell.
Carol and her siblings were raised in Amite, La. From stories told about their childhood years, they lived a beautiful life, in spite of their trials and struggles of the Great Depression years and World War II.
Carol’s parents taught their children by example to love and respect one another. Every Sunday morning, the family walked together down the street from their house to the small Episcopal church in the town.
Carol attended Southeastern College in Hammond, La., and LSU-BR, where she majored in Home Economics.
In 1942, she met Ira Lee Hewitt, a 21-year-old medical student at LSU-NO. They married at The Holy Communion Episcopal Church in Plaquemine, La., exchanging their vows near the stroke of midnight on July 3, 1943. They were blessed with five children, 10 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
Carol retired after 20 years with the Baton Rouge City Parish Revenue Department. She made many friends there and enjoyed the annual luncheons with fellow retirees.
Carol enjoyed photography and playing card games. Her favorite hobbies were sewing, knitting and crocheting. She was a member of the Baton Rouge Red Stick Smocking Club. She knitted Christmas stockings for all the family members, made doll clothes for the Salvation Army, and donated crocheted caps and booties for newborns.
She was a member of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Baton Rouge.
We thank the caretakers at the Health and Wellness Center of St. James Place for their loving care of our mother throughout her last years.
She is survived by her children: Diane Hewitt, Baton Rouge, Nancy Saunders (Richard), Lafayette, La., Thomas Hewitt (Teri), Zachary, and daughters-in-law: Leila Hewitt, Melbourne, Fl., and Kathi Hewitt, Central, La., numerous nephews and nieces; sister-in-law: Ann Purcell.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Ira Lee Hewitt, MD.; sons: Charles Lee Hewitt and James Bryant Hewitt; parents: Charles and Grace Purcell; brothers: William Purcell and Alex Purcell; sisters: Rachel Purcell Boies, and Margery Purcell Rivers; sisters-in-law: Dorothy Adams Purcell, and Sadie Bell Purcell, brother-in-law: Orlow Boies.
A private interment was held at Greenoaks Memorial Park and Funeral Home.
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