Roger Hewitt

Roger R. Hewitt was born in Portland Oregon in 1937. Roger's father was descended
from members of the Great Migration on the Oregon Trail in 1843 and his mother was
descended from Irish immigrants. He was a past member of the Sons of the
American Revolution.
Roger earned a BA degree in Chemistry from Willamette University in 1959 and a
PhD degree in Radiation Biology and Biochemistry in 1963 from the University of
Rochester. He went on to have an academic and research career that included
appointments at M. D. Anderson and a joint appointment at the University of Texas
Health Science Center as acting Dean. He eventually became Associate Dean for
Curriculum and Faculty Affairs in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. In the
late 1980's he relocated his laboratory and joined colleagues at the Science Park
in Smithville. He retired from the Cancer Center in 1994.
After retirement, Roger was an active volunteer in an impressive number of
community service organizations in Smithville. He was especially proud to be honored
in 2008 as Smithville's Citizen of the Year.
Roger is survived by his wife Emily Boyd-Hewitt of Smithville and his sister Marilyn
Clinkingbeard of Shalimar, Florida (son John Peacock and wife Laura); and daughters
Karen Hewitt of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois (children Lauren and Eric Fritzche and her
husband, Dan Le Seure); Lynn Hewitt of Bay City, Texas; Leigh Killgore of Houston,
Texas (husband, John Killgore); Carol Brej of Monterey, California
(children Dagny and Dawson Brej and husband, Martin Brej).
Roger's life ended on June 9, 2013 at home in Smithville , Texas.
A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 22 at 4:00 PM at All Faiths of the
Pines, 110 American Legion Road in Smithville.
Roger has requested that donations be made to the Friends of the Science Park in
lieu of flowers. The address is: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Science Park
P.O. Box 389
Smithville, TX 78957