CONWAY — Edith Jane DeWitt Buchanan
was born March 19, 1949 as the second daughter to a first grade teacher and a farmer in Poland, Louisiana. Mrs. DeWitt knew how to challenge her daughter academically when Edith sat in her first grade classroom, and set a path for Edith to be successful in school: hard work and individuality. Edith’s bright intelligence and creativity propelled her to skip the second grade and advance to the third grade. Throughout her childhood, Edith was a competitive barrel racer. During her years in high school, Edith played on two state basketball championship teams, she was All-State Guard in 1964 and 1965. After graduating Valedictorian from Poland High School in 1966, Edith entered as a freshman at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA the fall of 1966. Edith’s older sister,
Betty DeWitt Myers, encouraged her to rush for her sorority, Delta Zeta. Throughout her years in college, Edith also was an active member of the Student Government Association, The Association for Women’s Studies, and the Purple Jackets (an elite service organization); Edith also served as an elected officer for many of these organizations. During the fall of 1968, Edith met a young sailor, James “Jim” M. Buchanan at a party; “their eyes locked from across the room and it was love at first sight” she would say, always recalling the moment with a smile. Their long-distance courtship continued, and Edith graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in speech pathology from Northwestern State University in December of 1969.
Edith’s first job after graduation was at the Shreveport School for Disabled Children in Shreveport, La. from 1969-1970. She and Jim married July 4, 1970 in Alexandria, La., and they moved to Texas where Edith worked with students with special needs in Garland, Plano, and Northeast San Antonio Independent School Districts until 1975. In 1975, Edith and Jim’s son, Justin Buchanan, was born and the family moved back to Poland, La. to be near her parents. From 1975-1978, Edith worked as a speech pathologist for the Rapides Parish School District. In 1978, Edith, Jim and Justin moved to Denison, Texas where she continued to work as a speech pathologist and special education teacher at Lamar, Houston, and Hyde Park elementary schools. During that time Edith achieved a Master’s in Education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Edith presented locally and nationally advocating to the larger communities and teachers about equitable education for all children. She would say, “all students can learn, you just have to figure out how they best learn and do what needs to be done.”
In 2001, Edith left the classroom to share her knowledge and expertise at the Region 10 Education Service Center in Richardson, Texas. As the Program Coordinator for Certification, Edith poured into future teachers her passion for equitable education until she retired from in 2011. In 2015, Edith and Jim moved to Conway, AR to be closer to their son and daughterin-law. In Conway, Edith found friends who shared her love for learning and competition in the New Comer’s Club, Reading Club and playing cards.
Since her son, Justin, began playing football in the fourthgrade, Edith and Jim could be found in the stands at their son’s football games. They followed him across state lines cheering on the Denison Yellowjackets, Austin College Kangaroos, Louisiana College Wildcats and Hendrix College Warriors. Edith was a constant support for her family. She had a special way of showing you were the most important person to her at that time. Edith Jane DeWitt Buchanan was a warrior who fought for equitable education for students. She instilled in all her students and loved ones the value of hard work and individuality. She was an amazing woman who loved her family.
She is preceded in death by her parents and several aunts and uncles and two brothers-inlaw, Ace Fulmer and Dillard Rice. Immediate surviving members of the family are her husband, James M. Buchanan of Conway, Ark., sister Betty DeWitt Myers and husband Ellis Myers of Dunwoody, Ga., son, Justin “Buck” Buchanan and wife Michelle Brand Buchanan of Conway, Ark., two nephews and their families Keith, Stephanie, Grace and Lizzie Myers and Scott, Christie, Hailey and Avery Myers, an aunt Roxie Lawrence of Hope, AR, brother-in-law Jan and wife Janice Buchanan, sisters-in-law Sharon Fulmer, Cheryle Rice, and several loving cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Denison Alumni Association “Memorial Gift” Donation fund where a scholarship will be created for Denison High School students interested in pursuing a teaching degree.
https://secure.goemerchant.com/secure/custompayment/denisonalumniassociation/12604/default.aspx? Online Guestbook available at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/conway.