Edith D. Drew

Edith Drew passed away peacefully at her home in Baton Rouge on Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. She was born in Baton Rouge to William Swayze Doherty and Edith Carter Hyams on Jan. 15, 1925. She was married to Frederic Eastman Drew Jr. on July 1, 1944, and they were happily married for 59 years. They met on Third Street in Baton Rouge while Mr. Drew was in town selecting recruits for his Army unit and Miss Doherty was riding along with friends. He and his Army buddy stopped to help them with their flat tire when Miss Doherty rolled down the window to ask his name. Mr. Drew was immediately struck by her beautiful blue eyes, and it was love at first sight. They were married one year later. Mr. Drew left for the War in Europe six months after they were married; he was away for 13 months. Upon his return, they lived in New Orleans, Alexandria and ultimately settled in Baton Rouge. A graduate of Baton Rouge High School, Mrs. Drew attended LSU, where she was a member of Kappa Delta sorority and the LSU Dive Team. Her college career was interrupted by marriage and the births of six children; she returned to LSU and graduated in 1969 with a degree in education. After a brief career as a school teacher, she sold real estate for a number of years with Albert Hart and Associates. In retirement, the Drews traveled to many interesting places around the world. Summers were spent in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she and her husband were very involved with the Feed the Hungry program at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, providing food for impoverished children in the outlying areas. They also renewed their wedding vows in San Miguel at their beloved St. Paul's. With all their travels they most enjoyed time spent with family and friends at their beach home on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Mrs. Drew was a member of the Baton Rouge Junior League, Questors Book Club, East Side-West Side and the White Rose Circle of Kappa Delta. She was also a lifelong member of St. James Episcopal Church. She is survived by her five children, Kathleen Drew Matter, Frederic Eastman Drew III and wife Kathleen, Judith "Judy" Drew Nordgren, Elizabeth "Betsy" Drew Harper and husband Hank, and Edith "Edie" Drew Darragh and husband David; and 11 grandchildren, Christopher Hyams Neyland, Sarah Matter Geisler, Rachel Doherty Rhodes, Jennifer Elise Drew, Kathleen Elizabeth Drew, Blair Elizabeth Sulzer, Drew Eastman Nordgren, William Stirling Harper, Douglas Alston Harper, Thomas Eastman Darragh and William Swayze Darragh. She also leaves six great-grandchildren. Mrs. Drew was preceded in death by her husband, their infant child and her brothers, Lewis Stirling Doherty, William Swayze Doherty and Henry Hyams Doherty. Services will be held at St. James Episcopal Church on Monday, Dec. 13. Visiting will take place from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. with services immediately afterward. Mrs. Drew will be buried in the Port Hudson National Cemetery beside her husband. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Christopher Hyams Neyland, Drew Eastman Nordgren, William Stirling Harper and Douglas Alston Harper, and her two sons-in-law, David Thomas Darragh and Hank David Harper. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Drew's name to Hospice of Baton Rouge, 9063 Siegen Lane, Suite A, Baton Rouge LA 70810 or to St. James Episcopal Church, 208 N. Fourth St., Baton Rouge LA 70801. The family would like to thank very special caregivers, Helen Daniel, Shirley Dunn, Debra Savoie, Suzie Boudinot and the staff of the Hospice of Baton Rouge for the love and support they have given to our mother. Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., is in charge of arrangements.