From his home in Meadview, Arizona, Jack made the trip to his eternal home on August 19, 2024. Members of his family were there to wish him a smooth and easy trip. Born on New Year’s Eve of 1932 in Denver, Colorado, Jack was 91 years old at his passing. His parents were Ed and Winnie Newell; his siblings were Jean, Rich, and Kay. When he was 13, Jack was named the youngest Eagle Scout in Denver history at that date. He lived the Scout motto: “Be Prepared.” He also held to the Golden Rule and an extended personal code that included don’t hurt others, don’t tell lies, when you see a need, do what you can to fix it. He was a nationally ranked athlete in long jump and high bar (including for a time the U.S. Army long-jump record). He went to work for AT&T when he was 17, then served in Korea, then returned to work another 30 years for Mountain Bell. In 1955, he married Suzann Boardman on his 23rd birthday. They were parents of two children: Kelly Michele and Clayton C. ‘Coke’ Newell.
Initially trained as a medic in Korea, his AT&T experience soon saw him transferred to the signal corps, where he helped erect communications networks to the officers on the front lines of battle. After his return to Colorado, he was a Scout Master and a 4-H leader. After he retired from the phone company, he and Suzann moved to Meadview, Arizona and for seven years he drove the ambulance for the Grapevine Mesa fire station. He led and accompanied the Explorers Hiking club for 30 years. To support the volunteer fire department, he helped set up and run the Deep-Pit barbeque for 15 years, and began and for 19 years worked with the 10K Walkathon. He called Bingo for eight years; the money raised provided the money for insurance, truck tires, Turn-Outs for the firefighters, equipment, helmets, radios, ambulances (used but usable) and money to finish the firehouse in 1995. He was an early member of the Meadview Chamber of Commerce. As a member of the HOA governing board, he planned and built the miniature golf course (which is now named for him) and the disc golf course and helped rebuild the kitchen and the new addition to the MCA auditorium. The Meadview community many times honored him in formal presentations for his many years of community service.
Jack is survived by his wife and two children, 11 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren. One granddaughter preceded him in death.
