Dr. Aysen Kutalp Young

Dr. Aysen Kutalp Young was an actress and a scholar; an artist and a professor; a true aesthete and a lifelong devotee of the arts and cultural heritage of New Orleans. Aysen’s intellect and significant life accomplishments were only eclipsed by her devotion to her family. A beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Aysen truly was, as her husband described her, “The most complete person you’d ever meet.”

Aysen departed this world on Monday, August 8, 2022, at home, surrounded by her husband and family.

From a young age, Aysen was a natural navigator anywhere she travelled. Born in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1932 to Asim and Seniye Kutalp, Aysen began exploring the world after completing her studies at the revered American College for Girls in Istanbul, becoming fluent in five languages and starting her lifelong passion for education. The U.S. State Department career of her first husband, L. Sterling Hedgpeth, granted Aysen the unique opportunity to reside in Indonesia and Liberia, to Washington, D.C., and the coasts of California.

Aysen always loved and studied the theatre, and she was awarded a coveted position at The Pasadena Playhouse, graduating in 1956 with a degree in stage-design and stage-acting.  She eventually moved with her children to New Orleans to pursue what became a landmark academic career. Her diligent study and extraordinary intelligence culminated in an historic doctorate degree in 1972: the first woman to receive a PhD in Political Science from Tulane University.

It was in her new and forever home, New Orleans, where Aysen met Joseph Young — a fellow Tulane graduate who came to be Aysen’s life partner of more than 50 years, who describes her as “the true emblem of a partner.” Joe and Aysen worked hand-in-hand for nearly four decades to support New Orleans’ arts and culture organizations. Aysen forged a formidable path for women in the arts, having played an instrumental role in the New Orleans Opera Women’s Guild and inaugurating the Women of Fashion.

Having supported her husband and his efforts with the Men of Fashion for years, Aysen seized an opportunity to place women more prominently in the organization. Believing that women deserved more than a single award each year, Aysen established and served as the founding president of what is now known as the Women of Fashion. With a robust community of friends and fellow arts patrons, Aysen was often known as “everyone’s favorite person.” Her kindness, charm, and trademark style were always accompanied by a powerful mind and strong will.

Aysen contributed to and supported substantial fundraising efforts for many local organizations, including Men and Women of Fashion, the New Orleans Ballet Association, the New Orleans Opera Association, the Women’s Guild and the Men’s Opera Club, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Orleans Museum of Art, Alliance Français de Nouvelle Orleans, Amici, and was a pivotal figure in the revitalization of Southern Rep Theater. Aysen was also a long-time supporter of charities, like Boys Town, St. Jude’s Hospital, Covenant House, and the SPCA. A true connoisseur, Aysen was also President of the American Wine Society and the Physician’s Wine Society.

In her personal world, Aysen was a prolific visual artist and designer. In 1978, she led the design and construction efforts of her and her husband’s family home on St. Charles Ave. The family traditions that Aysen and Joe inaugurated at their home during Carnival seasons and Christmases continue through today, with their six great-grandchildren playing on the same floors that their grandchildren once crawled upon. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Joe; her children, Dr. Glenn Hedgpeth and Astra Thibodeaux; her grandchildren, James Thibodeaux, Lauren Bruns, Travis Hedgpeth, Cydney Hedgpeth, and Harrison Hedgpeth.

Their home, whose third floor once served as Aysen’s art studio, now exhibits a permanent collection of her 80 original paintings for her family and friends to enjoy for years to come. The family wishes to thank her caregivers, particularly Mary Johnson, for their loving care of Aysen in her final years.

Services will be held at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home at 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70124 on August 27, 2022. Visitation will begin at 10am, and Services will follow at 12pm.