Obituary for Jack Bennett DeWitt, Sr.
Jack Bennett DeWitt, Sr., age 83, entered eternal rest on Monday, April 10, 2023, in Alexandria at Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. Arrangements have been entrusted to Gallagher Funeral Home.
The visitation for Mr. DeWitt will be held at Gallagher Funeral Home on Sunday, April 16, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and again on Monday, from 8:00 a.m. until the time of service. Services will be held on Monday, the 17th at 10:00 a.m. with Reverend Danny George officiating. Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Gallagher Funeral Home.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, Mary Kathryn Thornton DeWitt; father and mother, Thomas Freddie DeWitt, Sr., and Mattie Lois Meek DeWitt; sister's Betty Jean Dewitt, Joan DeWitt Feig and husband William Feig, Sr.; brother, Thomas Freddie DeWitt, Jr. and wife Shirley DeWitt.
Those left to cherish his memory include sons, Jack Bennett DeWitt, Jr. and wife Erin of Metairie and Jason DeWitt of Boyce; grandchildren, Samantha DeWitt of Mamou, Hunter DeWitt and wife Mackenzie of Pineville, Lucy DeWitt and Cady DeWitt of Lawrenceville, GA, Jack DeWitt, III of Metairie; great grandchildren, Noah B. DeWitt, Luke M. DeWitt, Landy Kate DeWitt, and Bennett DeWitt; and sister, Betty Lou DeWitt.
Jack started working for the Rapides Parish Police Jury in 1966 as a Road Maintenance Foreman for Ward 7. The Rapides Parish Police Jury was reallocated in 1970 and Ward 7 and Ward 5 were combined to form District E where Jack was named the District E Road Foreman. In 1972, the Road Superintendent position of Rapides Parish became vacant, and Jack was promoted to that position, which included overseeing 350 miles of drainage canals and 1100 miles of roads to maintain in Rapides Parish and he oversaw the computerization of the Parish Road and Drainage System. He served in that position for 12 years.
While serving Rapides Parish during this period, he was twice elected President of the Louisiana Parish Engineers and Superintendents Association in which he was elected twice to serve on the Executive Board of the Louisiana Police Jury. In 1984, the Rapides Parish Police Jury created a full-time purchasing department located in the courthouse and promoted Jack to be the purchasing agent to run it. After about 1 year, the Rapides Parish Police Jury decided to create a Parish administration position and promoted Jack to fill that position in which he would be in charge of approving all hiring and firing of police jury employees and be responsible to see that all projects and motions passed by the police jury were accomplished.
During this period, Jack also served on the England Authority where he was elected to serve as the 1st secretary/treasurer for 4 years. When the 911 board was created in 1973, he was appointed and served until the time of his death. He was appointed to the Rapides Parish Finance Authority and served until his death. Jack also served on the Rapides Parish Area Planning Commission, Treasurer of the Senior Citizens Centers as well as other organizations. He was a true public servant from 1966 until his passing! He was elected Mayor of Boyce in 2010 and served for 4 years. Jack helped create the Dough Hills Hunting Club in 1981 and served as the president until his passing.
Jack was born and raised in Boyce, Louisiana. His mother passed away when he was 5 years old, and he lived with and was raised by Mr. and Mrs. C.R. Sanders until he was in the 6th grade. He was in the 6th grade when Mr. Sanders moved from Boyce to Pineville to become the Superintendent of Schools for Rapides Parish. Jack was always thankful and honored to have stayed with them. Jack moved back home and was raised by his sisters and dad who had to travel all over the USA for his job. Jack graduated from Boyce High School where he played basketball and ran track.
The visitation for Mr. DeWitt will be held at Gallagher Funeral Home on Sunday, April 16, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and again on Monday, from 8:00 a.m. until the time of service. Services will be held on Monday, the 17th at 10:00 a.m. with Reverend Danny George officiating. Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Gallagher Funeral Home.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, Mary Kathryn Thornton DeWitt; father and mother, Thomas Freddie DeWitt, Sr., and Mattie Lois Meek DeWitt; sister's Betty Jean Dewitt, Joan DeWitt Feig and husband William Feig, Sr.; brother, Thomas Freddie DeWitt, Jr. and wife Shirley DeWitt.
Those left to cherish his memory include sons, Jack Bennett DeWitt, Jr. and wife Erin of Metairie and Jason DeWitt of Boyce; grandchildren, Samantha DeWitt of Mamou, Hunter DeWitt and wife Mackenzie of Pineville, Lucy DeWitt and Cady DeWitt of Lawrenceville, GA, Jack DeWitt, III of Metairie; great grandchildren, Noah B. DeWitt, Luke M. DeWitt, Landy Kate DeWitt, and Bennett DeWitt; and sister, Betty Lou DeWitt.
Jack started working for the Rapides Parish Police Jury in 1966 as a Road Maintenance Foreman for Ward 7. The Rapides Parish Police Jury was reallocated in 1970 and Ward 7 and Ward 5 were combined to form District E where Jack was named the District E Road Foreman. In 1972, the Road Superintendent position of Rapides Parish became vacant, and Jack was promoted to that position, which included overseeing 350 miles of drainage canals and 1100 miles of roads to maintain in Rapides Parish and he oversaw the computerization of the Parish Road and Drainage System. He served in that position for 12 years.
While serving Rapides Parish during this period, he was twice elected President of the Louisiana Parish Engineers and Superintendents Association in which he was elected twice to serve on the Executive Board of the Louisiana Police Jury. In 1984, the Rapides Parish Police Jury created a full-time purchasing department located in the courthouse and promoted Jack to be the purchasing agent to run it. After about 1 year, the Rapides Parish Police Jury decided to create a Parish administration position and promoted Jack to fill that position in which he would be in charge of approving all hiring and firing of police jury employees and be responsible to see that all projects and motions passed by the police jury were accomplished.
During this period, Jack also served on the England Authority where he was elected to serve as the 1st secretary/treasurer for 4 years. When the 911 board was created in 1973, he was appointed and served until the time of his death. He was appointed to the Rapides Parish Finance Authority and served until his death. Jack also served on the Rapides Parish Area Planning Commission, Treasurer of the Senior Citizens Centers as well as other organizations. He was a true public servant from 1966 until his passing! He was elected Mayor of Boyce in 2010 and served for 4 years. Jack helped create the Dough Hills Hunting Club in 1981 and served as the president until his passing.
Jack was born and raised in Boyce, Louisiana. His mother passed away when he was 5 years old, and he lived with and was raised by Mr. and Mrs. C.R. Sanders until he was in the 6th grade. He was in the 6th grade when Mr. Sanders moved from Boyce to Pineville to become the Superintendent of Schools for Rapides Parish. Jack was always thankful and honored to have stayed with them. Jack moved back home and was raised by his sisters and dad who had to travel all over the USA for his job. Jack graduated from Boyce High School where he played basketball and ran track.