Elizabeth “Ellen” Hewitt, age 88 of Leonardtown MD, formerly of Valley Lee, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on May 31, 2021 at her residence. Ellen was born on September 4, 1932 in Maddox, MD. She was the daughter of the late Hillary Francis and Lillian Mae (Pilkerton) Hill. Ellen was the loving wife of the late William Franklin Hewitt “Franklin”, whom she married on October 17, 1953 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Ridge, MD, and who preceded her in death on April 14, 1991. Ellen is survived by her children Charlotte Guy (Ernest) of Leonardtown, MD, Catherine Hewitt of Leonardtown, MD, Rose Mary Heckler (Ellis des.), of Leonardtown, MD, David Wayne Hewitt Sr. “Wayne” (Marianna) of Valley Lee, MD, along with her siblings Thomas Hill “Tom” of Mechanicsville, MD, Patricia Wood “Patsy” of Mechanicsville, MD, Theodora Sydnor “Audie” of Hollywood, MD, Michael Hill “Mickey” of Mechanicsville, MD, Gladys Long “Ree-Ree” of Mechanicsville, MD, Mildred Hall “Milly Ann” of Chaptico, MD, Sandra Guy “Sandy” of Leonardtown, MD, and Kathleen Hindt of Mechanicsville, MD. She also has 14 loving grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild all whom she loved dearly. She was preceded in death by her son Paul Anthony Hewitt on January 9, 2000, along with her siblings Mary Catherine Stone, Hillary Hill Jr., Leonard Hill “Woodrow”, Joseph Hill, Lillian Hill “Mae”, Edna Thompson, and James Pilkerton “Rudy”.
Ellen was a lifelong St. Mary’s County, MD resident who attended St. Michael’s High School in Ridge, MD. She went on to attend college at Georgetown University in Washington, DC to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. After attaining her nursing degree in 1953, Ellen worked as a nurse for St. Mary’s Hospital in Leonardtown, MD. She later became the Nursing Supervisor for many years before becoming the Director of Nursing. After leaving St. Mary’s Hospital in 1983, Ellen became the nurse at St. Mary’s Interdependent Life Environment (SMILE) for a few years only to return to her love of nursing at St. Mary’s Hospital where she eventually retired as a Psychiatric Nurse.
Ellen was very active in the St. Mary’s County community volunteering her time for numerous organizations, including becoming the first female Chief of the Valley Lee Volunteer Rescue Squad, serving as a member of the St. Mary’s County Fair Board, and the former President of the Farm Bureau Association. Alongside her volunteering, Ellen enjoyed spending time with family and friends playing pitch, cooking meals and baking cakes for her loved ones, and collecting bells, plates, and angel figurines.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM with prayers recited at 6:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 10:00 AM in Holy Face Church, Great Mills, MD with Father Jerry Gamrot officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be her grandsons Allen Ridgell, Ben Windsor, David Guy, David Hewitt, Ernest Guy Jr. “Francis”, Paul Hewitt “Tony”, and William Heckler “Willie”. Honorary pallbearers will be her granddaughters Alison Guy, Ashley Brown, Brittnay Ridgell “Star”, Christina Hill, Heather Windsor, Michelle Miedzinski, and Rebecca Guy.
Donations may be made to the A Community That Shares (A.C.T.S) at P.O. Box 54, Bushwood, MD 20618 and 2nd District Volunteer Firehouse at P.O. Box 1, Valley Lee, MD 20692.
