Francis Eugene "Gene" Newton

Francis Eugene “Gene” Newton

Gene Newton, 98, was born on July 9, 1923; he died quietly at home on November 1^st.  As a teenager, during the Great Depression, he was at times the only one in his family to be employed.  He supported his mother and siblings while working as a replacement cook at White Castle.  This meant he traveled all over town and worked at all of them while still attending school.

He graduated from Arsenal Technical High School before joining the US Marine Corps during the war.  He served in the Pacific theater starting in 1942 through the end of the war. He was paid $21 dollars per month as a private. He saw action on Guadalcanal and then other Solomon Island “garden spots” as the Marines worked their way up the island chain towards Japan.

After the war, he used the GI Bill to attend Purdue University where he was in the Air Force ROTC.  He commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force and then transitioned to the Indiana National Guard as a Finance Officer.  His brilliant career spanned more than three decades and included four tours of active duty including the Korean War and the Berlin Crisis in the early 1960’s.  Over his years of service, he rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel and ended his career as the Comptroller of the 122^nd Tactical Fighter Wing at Baer Field in Fort Wayne.  He became a liaison officer for the US Air Force Academy, and later joined the Marion County Burial Team.  He wanted all fellow veterans to have proper recognition for their service so he was on the Honor Guard for hundreds of funerals.

At Purdue, he met the love of his life, Phyllis, in a Purdue Playhouse production.  They played a couple in “Arms for the Man,” and then “got married” on stage in the production of “No More Frontier.” After six weeks, he finally got the message and proposed.  Gene and Phyllis married on June 17, 1949.  He served as president of the Purdue Players and his Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.  He received his Mechanical Engineering Degree in 1950 and was immediately employed at Eli Lilly and Company.

At Lilly, he was on the original team who trained and brought the first main frame computer to Eli Lilly, working very closely with IBM. This endeavor moved the company into the computer age.  When Lilly purchased Elizabeth Arden, Gene was sent to NYC to convert Arden’s system to Lilly’s.

They have three children, Margie Hamm (Mark) of Indianapolis, Diana Green (Don) of South Bend, and Steve Newton (Lori) of Marion, Illinois; seven grandchildren, Samuel Green (Sarah) of Elkhart, Bethany Green of San Diego, California, Maxx Hamm (Mathilda) of South Bend, Elsbeth Newton, Rachel Erin Newton (Tom Evans) both of Denver, Colorado, Tom Newton of Marion, Illinois, and Alex Newton of Denver.  They also have six great grandchildren.  In addition, they raised a foster son, (Lester Rush), a step-niece (Donna Pierce), and two step-nephews, (John Pierce and Charles Pierce).

Gene was a tremendous musician (as well as actor).  He sang in the choir for more than 40 years at Broadway United Methodist Church and 40 years with the Speed City Capitol Chorus (later the Pride of Indy Chorus) of SPEBSQSA, now known as the Barbershop Harmony Society. He played the banjo and enjoyed sitting around the piano with the whole family singing and teaching us the full American songbook of the 1920’s forward, and many camp and church songs as well.  At one point, the family had the Newton Family Octet (Mom, Dad, and all three kids and their spouses) which performed sacred music at churches around the state.

Involved in his community, Gene was treasurer of the Brockton Civic League Neighborhood Association for many years.  He served the Boy Scouts for the Medical Explorer Post through Eli Lilly as the Institutional Representative and Assistant Scoutmaster.  He volunteered for Steve’s troop while his son was active in Scouts (Steve attained the rank of Eagle).  He received the District Award for service to the Scouts from the Tsungani District here in Indianapolis.  For 15 years, he voluntarily prepared taxes for low income elderly.  He served his American Legion Post as a Service Officer, Treasurer, and Commander over many years.  He was also a regular blood donor.

He was an avid golfer frequenting his favorite local course at Douglas Park.  When he turned 70, he decided to stop water skiing at Lake Wawasee where the family owned a cottage.  He ran in the Indianapolis 500 Mini-Marathon for years finally retiring after he hit the age of 72.

Gene and his wife, Phyllis, celebrated their 72^nd Wedding Anniversary this past June.

For his children, he was the Hollywood stereotype of a wonderful family man!  He gave us an amazing childhood.  His generosity knew no bounds.  He was hands-on with raising us and favorite memories include him towel drying the long hair of his daughter’s way before hair dryers were around.  We were one of the very first families in the neighborhood to get a television over mom’s protests – he knew it was going to change the world and he didn’t want to miss any of it!  He could be lots of fun, and adventuresome, too.  He was a positive role model and challenged each of the family members to be the best they possibly could be at whatever they wanted to do.  Of course, for the daughters, he always wanted to make sure we had a “plan to fall back on!”