Willa Mae Newman

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Willa Mae Newman, age 102, of Gainesville, passed away January 2, 2024 in Gainesville.

Willa Mae Newman was born April 12, 1921 at the family home near Bulcher in Cooke County, Texas.  Her parents were Bill and Pearl Blakely.  After years of living life on the family farm, she moved to Nocona, Texas to work as a Nanny where she met the love of her life Bob Nathan Newman.  They were married December 28, 1941 and moved to Perryton, Texas.  They had two daughters, Jimmy, and Barbara.  She was a full-time homemaker with excellent skills in cooking, gardening, sewing and needle handwork.  In 1963, they moved to Dumas, Texas, where she worked part-time in retail sales.

At retirement they moved to Gainesville to be near her aging parents in 1976.  While caring for her parents she continued her homemaking and creative needlework skills.  They enjoyed many dominoes games and church fellowships.  In 1998 her husband passed away after 57 years of marriage.

Family was very dear to her.  She nursed her loved ones through their end-of-life journeys.  She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She could be seen wrestling on the floor with them or throwing a Frisbee in the backyard.  She stayed active in her flower gardens and household duties until she was 99.  After bouncing back from a stroke, she enjoyed games of dominoes and occupied herself with jigsaw puzzles.  She completed over 50 1000-piece puzzles in the last two years, up to two weeks ago.

Her love for the Lord began as a teenager when she was baptized at a brush arbor gospel meeting.  She remained committed and dedicated to Him to live a godly life through her church activity and by instilling her commitment in her husband, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Her spiritual legacy can be seen in the three generations of her family.

Predeceased by: parents Bill and Pearl (Wood) Blakely; husband Bob Nathan Newman; brother Bill “Buster” Blakely; and son-in-law Richard Redwine.

Survived by: daughter Jimmy Redwine of Gainesville; daughter Barbara Gibson of Gainesville; grandchildren Rick Redwine (Beth), Jamie Wilhelm (Jim), Jeff Redwine (Cynthia), Rob Gibson, Amanda Liles (Scott), and Sunde Daughrity (Dyron); 16 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; and niece Teri Fincher.

A funeral service is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Hillcrest Church of Christ, Gainesville.  Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery.  The family will receive friends beginning at 1:00 p.m. prior to the funeral service.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hillcrest Church of Christ Mission Fund.  You may register your condolences online at www.geojcarroll.com.

Please place flower orders directly through a local florist.

https://www.geojcarroll.com/florists