Beulah Virginia Hitch

Beulah Virginia Jewell Hitch, 88, of Rossville, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, passing away peacefully at her home on Monday, October 15, 2012, surrounded by family.

Beulah was born in Logan, West Virginia on January 3, 1924.  She was the daughter of Henry C. and Bertha M. (Pruitt) Jewell.  Beulah was the 6th child born into a family of 16 children.

At age 17, Beulah left her family’s mountain home in Virginia.  During World War II, she was employed as a “welder” in the Navy shipyards in Norfolk, Virginia.  She became one of the many “Rosie the Riveters,” a term for the American women who worked as welders and riveters during World War II replacing male workers who were serving in the military.  It was in the Navy shipyards in Norfolk, Virginia where she met her husband, Harold Glen Hitch, who was serving in the Navy.  Harold and Beulah were married in South Mills, North Carolina on May 15, 1943.  After completing his Navy service, Harold moved his bride to his home area of Rossville, Indiana.  They remained in Rossville the rest of their lives.  Harold preceded Beulah in death on September 5, 1987 after 44 years of marriage.

Beulah’s favorite pastime was attending auctions and collecting “antiques.”  She enjoyed selling her antique treasures during the annual Rockville Covered Bridge Festival.

Beulah loved her family and surviving are three daughters: Nancy (Jerry) Goyer of Rossville; Irene (Mark) Evans of rural Mulberry; and Janet (Dennie) Emerson of Phoenix, Arizona; one son: Richard Lee (Jackie) Hitch of Ockley; and nine grandchildren: Ross Goyer, Ben Hopkins, Ricky Hitch, Brian Henry, Brandie (Henry) Oliver, Matt Evans, Jason Goyer, Johnny Hitch and Rachel (Goyer) Naylor; 18 great grandchildren; one great, great grandchild; two brothers, Curt Jewell and Harold Jewell both of Michigan; two sisters, Mary York of Michigan, and Gay Smith of Virginia; and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 18, 2012, at Genda Funeral Home-Rossville Chapel and led by her three oldest grandsons.  Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m.-2p.m. at the funeral home prior to the service.  Burial will be in Rossville Cemetery

Beulah’s heartfelt desire was to help the poor children in the Appalachian Mountain Regions where she had grown up.  Memorials may be made in Beulah’s name to Appalachian Outreach, Inc., P.O. Box 233, Glen Dale, West Virginia, 26038, www.appalachianoutreaching.org, or Serenity Hospice, Inc., 5 N. 10th St.-Ste.A, Lafayette, Indiana, 47901, www.serenity-hospice.com.