In Memory

Rebecca Houplin (Hewitt)

Rebecca Houplin (Hewitt)

Rebecca Hewitt (77) passed away unexpectedly at her home in West Seattle on Saturday, October 7, 2023. 

She was born in September of 1946 to parents Catherine (Baker) and Eugene Houplin at Madison Street Hospital in the heart of Seattle. 

Rebecca graduated from Rainier High School in Des Moines, WA. She enrolled at Central Washington University, but before graduating returned to the Seattle area, where she met an aerospace industry engineer named George Hewitt. Becky and George lived in the same apartment building, The Ponderosa, in SeaTac. It was filled with a fun group of young singles, dubbed The Ponderosa Gang, who had such a blast together, going out dancing and throwing big parties.  

Becky and George married on October 14, 1967 and raised three daughters. As a wife and mom, Becky modeled a fierce intellect, sense of justice, feminist ideals, and hunger for adventure. She was fun and funny, and actively and routinely sought out cultural experiences that stood well apart from life in suburbia.  

When her girls were school age, Becky enrolled at the University of Washington and earned a degree in mathematics. Becky taught math at Bellevue College; students were treated to engaging classes and her contagious sense of humor and some kept in touch with her long after they left the classroom. Rebecca enjoyed word games and puzzles and she was an avid reader. Rebecca's intellectual pastimes were equaled by her artistic talents. She ran a highly successful Etsy shop, selling beautiful crib blankets she meticulously stitched by hand. Everyone loved her beautifully handwritten notes, recipes, and sketches; every card she sent was a keepsake. Friends and family will always remember Rebecca's delicious homemade meals, baked desserts, and jam. Other loves of Rebecca's included gardening, live music, theatre, and travel. Rebecca visited her favorite city, Paris, several times. She also traveled across Canada by train to see the polar bears, and to Madagascar to see lemurs and other rare and endangered species.  

Rebecca is survived by her husband George Hewitt; daughters Laura Hewitt Walker (Steve), Christa Fleming (Brian), and Emily Boyer (Sean); grandchildren Benji, Grace, Henry, Leo, Ella, and Annie; her close and treasured friends; and her beloved cat, Waldo.  

Donations in memory of Rebecca may be made to ArtsFund (https://www.artsfund.org) or any of Seattle's many other cherished arts organizations.



 
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10/31/23 03:34 PM #1    

Jerry Childs

I knew Rebecca from Elementary school.  She lived just down the block from the school as did several of us Mt Rainier grads.  Rebecca, although shy, was sweet, and I doubt if she ever did anything wrong in her life--unlike the rest of us  wink   RIP dear one....


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