Shirley Elaine Hewett

Shirley Elaine Hewett and her twin brother Fred (deceased) were born on May 13, 1929 in Detroit, at Harper Hospital to her late parents, Frederick B. and Narcissa C. (James) Sincock.  They celebrated their first birthday in Cornwall, England where their parents were raised and their grandparents, aunts, and uncles lived.

Shirley lived in Detroit and went to Mackenzie High School and graduated in 1947.  She attended Michigan State College and earned a BS degree in Physical Education in 1952 and began teaching in Dearborn.  She continued her education by earning a master’s degree in 1957. She taught for 32 years at two different Junior High Schools and retired in 1984.

In 1967, Shirley made a trip to England to be godmother to her cousin’s daughter and met and dated William Roy Hewett.  William came to Michigan in the spring of 1968 and Shirley returned to England later in the summer.  They married August 22 at the Clerk’s office in St. Austell so Roy could immigrate to the United States.  They had the blessing of their marriage in the church on November 16.  Yes, they celebrated their anniversary twice each year.  Shirley and William lived in Plymouth, Michigan for 54 years.

Shirley was interested in sports during her entire life.  In college, she became involved in synchronized swimming and enjoyed traveling with her college team to many competitions.  She continued this interest in teaching and started a synchronized swim club.  She was instrumental in organizing synchronized swimming shows at both junior high schools.  Shirley also enjoyed sewing and different crafts, such as making stuffed animals, macrame, knitting, crocheting and her favorite which was cross stitching.  She cross stitched a birth sampler for each new birth in the family and many friends.

She and Roy enjoyed traveling and visiting different places, but also enjoyed staying home and having family and friends visit.