Willow resident June Seneva Newman passed away Aug. 15 2008
of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 11
a.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at Willow United Methodist Church.Newman was born April 11, 1921, in Marysville, Wash., to Harry and Lena Downing. She arrived in Alaska on June 18, 1937. She graduated from Anchorage High School in 1939.
She worked at the Star Cafe in Anchorage where she met Carl Newman. They later married and had six children. They spent six years in Nome before moving back to Anchorage. They owned the Eastside Service Station in Anchorage. Newman retired from the Retail Clerks Union, then moved to Willow in the early 1970s. She worked for many years before retiring from the Willow Library.
Newman was a proud member of Pioneers of Alaska, Women’s Igloo Post 11. She was a charter member of the Willow United Methodist Church and was a faithful church historian for many years.
She leaves a legacy of memories in scrapbooks, news articles and stories.
Her hobbies included gardening, crafts, crocheting and spending time with family and loved ones. Newman was very proud of her Norwegian heritage (Uff-Da!). She was a very kind and compassionate person who will truly be missed by family, friends and community, her family wrote.
She was preceded in death by husband, Carl Newman; son Joe Newman; and daughter-in-law Pat Newman.
Newman is survived by sons Gene and Dave Newman, both of Willow; daughters Carol Lanier of Belmont, N.H., Linda Burdo of Vacaville, Calif., and Judy Clay of Anchorage; sister Helen Mattson of Juneau; 18 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; and many, many friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the United Methodist Church of Willow, P.O. Box 182, Willow, AK 99688 or the Willow Library Association, P.O. Box 129, Willow, AK 99688 or the charity of the giver’s choice.
Source: Frontiersman, 22 August 2008
