Rogers Hewitt

William Rogers Hewitt, 94, named after the famous humorous commentator Will Rogers, died Jan. 1, 2025, at the Shelbina Villa Lifecare.

Hewitt enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served four years during the Korean War. He returned to Shelbyville in 1955 and served as co-publisher with his father of the Shelby County Herald until 1967 when his father died, and he became sole owner and publisher.

He was publisher of the Shelby County Herald until 1997, when he and wife Jerri sold it to the Williams family, owners of the Clarence Courier.  The Hewitts bought the Lawson Review weekly newspaper in 1979 and later turned it over to Roger Cress Hewitt, who became publisher.

Rogers Hewitt was very active in the Missouri Press Association and served as president of the Northeast Missouri Press Association in 1962; Missouri Press Association’s president in 1980; and was inducted into the Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame in 1996. He was the first elected president of the Missouri Press Foundation Board and served as president for four years.

He served in many community organizations and was chosen as a member of the Missouri State Historical Society in 1980 and served for several years.  He was a member of the Missouri Tourism Commission and a former president of the Missouri Democratic Editors.

He is survived by his wife, Jerri, and their two children, Roger and Paula; along with many more family, friends and newspaper colleagues throughout Missouri.