S. S. de Witt - Death and Legacy

Death and Legacy

DeWitt died at the age of eighty-three of pancreatic cancer in St. Francis Hospital in Monroe. In addition to his wife, he was survived by their daughter, Edith Sprague DeWitt Sandoz (born 1945) of Houston, Texas, formerly married to James Clyde "Jim" Wilkerson (1942–2007) and two grandchildren, James Clifton "Cliff" Wilkerson, II, an attorney in Baton Rouge, and Edith Margaret Wong of Atlanta, Georgia. He left behind one great-grandchild, Kayle Anne Griffith. Services were held in the First Baptist Church in Newellton, with five officiating ministers, J. Fulton McGraw, James D. Hill (former First Baptist Newellton pastor then at First Baptist Blanchard in Caddo Parish), Mack Stange, Hugh Boswell, and Ray Robbins.

After his death, First Baptist dedicated its flag and flagpole in DeWitt's honor. He was lauded as "one of those men who answered the call of his country to help defend these freedoms and ideals during World War II. His love of his country developed a strong sense of patriotism which never waned and which was reflected in his strong stand against the desecrations of this hallowed flag. . . . He always tried to inculcate and instill this love of country and loyalty to country in the lives of young people . . . Sprague DeWitt's support of freedom for all and his loyalty to his country was absolutely unswerving. . . . "

The late Sam Hanna, Sr., of Ferriday, a Louisiana journalist in his column "One Man's Opinion", recalled that mourners packed the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church in Newellton for DeWitt's funeral, and many had to watch the service on video in the family room. Hanna described DeWitt, accordingly:

"A strong physically fit man, DeWitt was active, still playing tennis, until he became ill. . . . life story typical of a lot of men of his generation who grew up in quieter times, went to college, served in the military during World War II, and came home to make a living, support a family, and contribute to a country he dearly loved. That was DeWitt's story, a farmer by trade, a veteran, a family man with grandchildren, a Scoutmaster in his earlier days, a Rotarian, a church-going man, and a loyal Louisianan.…

"One of DeWitt's friends from his Sicily Island days was at the funeral where he recounted that although DeWitt never returned to live at Sicily Island, he never forgot his friends there and maintained contact with them. The DeWitt place is still in the family. . . .

"Tensas was different . It was unique, a parish where more than its share of strong-willed men lived their lives in leadership roles, men like Elliot Coleman, Ben Burnside, Sr., E.R. McDonald, Sr. (founder of the defunct Dutch Gardens in Newellton), and Howard M. Jones," the state senator who served with DeWitt during DeWitt's first term in the House.

Hanna recalled that DeWitt became friends with his northeast Louisiana neighbor, John McKeithen, a former lawmaker who was governor during DeWitt's legislative tenure.

" 'was a fine honorable man, a good representative of the people who stood by his word, and his convictions', McKeithen said.

"DeWitt was not a natural or a pure politician. He wasn't driven by politics. But he was genuine and sincere in his feelings for people and his desire to represent them to the best of his ability.

"That was his outstanding distinction in public life, more so than being a legislator in a period when the state experienced one of its most significant changes in history. . . . "

DeWitt is interred at the Legion Memorial Cemetery in Newellton.